to give a
suggestion of rapid revolver practice. Quite a smoke rose, and when it
rolled away one of the vessels was already nearly under water and the
other was keeling with the inflow of water from the port side. S---- lost
no time, but throwing off his coat, jumped in and swam to the rescue.

Throughout this entire incident his manner was that of an enthusiastic
boy who had something exceedingly novel. He did not laugh. In all our
acquaintance I never once heard him give a sound, hearty laugh. Instead
he cackled. His delight apparently could only express itself in that
way. In the main it showed itself in an excess of sharp movements, short
verbal expressions, gleams of the eye.

I saw from this the man's delight in the science of engineering, and
humored him in it. He was thereafter at the greatest pains to show all
that he had under way in the mechanical line, and schemes he had for
enjoying himself in this work in the future. It seemed rather a
recreation for him than anything else. Like him, I could not help
delighting in the perfect toys which he created, but the intricate
details and slow process of manufacture were brain-racking. For not only
would he draw the engine in all its parts, but he would buy the raw
material and cast and drill and polish each separate part.

Upon my second visit I was deeply impressed by the sight of a fine
passenger engine, a duplicate of the great 999 of the New York Central,
of those days. It stood on brass rails laid along an old library shelf
that had probably belonged to the previous occupant of the studio. This
engine was a splendid object to look upon, strong, heavy,
silent-running, with the fineness and grace of a perfect sewing-machine.
It was duly trimmed with brass and nickel, after the manner of the great
"flyers," and seemed so sturdy and powerful that one could not restrain
the desire to see it run.

"How do you like that?" S---- exclaimed when he saw me looking at it.

"It's splendid," I said.

"See how she runs," he exclaimed, moving it up and down. "No noise about
that."

He fairly caressed the mechanism with his hand, and went off into a most
careful analysis of its qualities.

"I could build that engine," he exclaimed at last, enthusiastically, "if
I were down in the Baldwin Company's place. I could make her break the
record."

"I haven't the slightest doubt in the world," I answered.

This engine was a source of great expense to him, as well as the chi