"He is your father, Phil; and you must do and keep doing for him. Let us hope and pray that he may be saved."
After dinner I went to my work again; and that afternoon we finished boarding the building.
"Can you lay shingles, Phil?" asked Mr. Clinch.
"I never did lay any, but I know I can after I have seen how it is done."
"Conant shall show you how," he added.
I went upon the roof with my fellow-workman. As, in the short time I had worked with him, I had carefully observed all his instructions, and been obliging and respectful to him, Conant was very willing to show me how to work. But the operation of laying shingles is very simple, though it requires considerable care and skill in breaking joints, so that the water shall not work through. I saw how it was done, and, though I worked rather slowly at first, I was soon able to lay the shingles to the satisfaction of my instructor. As I got the "hang of the thing" I worked more rapidly, and before night I could lay as many as Conant. We lined the length of the roof, and while he began at one end, I began at the other. At first we came together pretty near my end, but I gradually increased the distance until we met in the middle, showing that I did as much work as my instructor.
"Well, Phil, how did you get along shingling?" asked Mr. Clinch, when I went down the ladder at six o'clock.
"Pretty well, I think, sir," I replied. "I shall learn how in time."