Elizabeth's cheek burned now, and her eye too, with a fire which she strove to keep under.
"It's not fair!" she exclaimed. "If I make work for you, I am sure it is work that nobody takes up."
"That's true," said her father laughing, — "it would be too much trouble to pretend to take it all up."
"Then you shouldn't bring it up!" said Elizabeth, trembling.
"It's nothing very bad to bring up," said her father. "It's only a little extra strong machinery that wants a good engineer."
"That's no fault in the machinery, sir," said Winthrop.
"And all you have to do," suggested Mr. Herder, "is to find a good engineer."
"I am my own engineer!" said Elizabeth, a little soothed by the first remark and made desperate by the second.
"So you are!" said her cousin. "There's no doubt of that."
"Are you a good one, Miss Elisabet'?" said the naturalist, smiling at her.