"Brush been busy?" he added hastily.
Lucas pointed to a dozen or more canvases stacked against the wall.
"Fairly," he said.
"May I look at them? Oh, don't trouble to take them off the floor. I'll just turn them over for myself, if I may."
He stooped over the stack and moved each canvas in turn till he could catch a glimpse of its face. With this ocular demonstration that there actually were pictures upon all of them he seemed content, for he turned to his host with an approving smile.
"You have not been altogether idle, then?"
"Altogether idle!"
Hillary turned at the exclamation.
"Poor old Lucas is working himself to death," he said, with his gentle and insinuating air.
"Indeed!" exclaimed Mr. Walkingshaw, and surveyed the artist with increased respect.