noon
Because he did not permanently belong to this world of day labor and because his position which had been given him as a favor was moderately secure , he felt superior to everything about him . He did not wish to show this feeling in any way -- was very anxious as a matter of fact to conceal it , but his sense of superiority and ultimate indifference to all these petty details was an abiding thought with him . He went to and fro carrying a basket of shavings , jesting with `` the village smith , '' making friends with `` Big John , '' the engineer , with Joseph , Malachi Dempsey , little Jimmy Sudds , in fact anyone and everyone who came near him who would be friends . He took a pencil one day at the noon hour and made a sketch of Harry Fornes , the blacksmith , his arm upraised at the anvil , his helper , Jimmy Sudds , standing behind him , the fire glowing in the forge . Fornes , who was standing beside him , looking over his shoulder , could scarcely believe his eyes . `` Wotcha doin ' ? '' he asked Eugene curiously , looking over his shoulder , for it was at the blacksmith 's table , in the sun of his window that he was sitting , looking out at the water .