The matter of painting this picture necessitated my presence on several occasions, and during this time I got better acquainted with him.  Certain ideas and desires which we held in common drew us toward each other, and I soon began to see that he was much above the average in insight and skill.  He talked with the greatest ease upon a score of subjects—­literature, art, politics, music, the drama, and history.  He seemed to have read the latest novels; to have seen many of the current plays; to have talked with important people.  Theodore Roosevelt, previously Police Commissioner but then Governor, often came to his studio to talk and play chess with him.  A very able architect was his friend.  He had artist associates galore, many of whom had studios in the same building or the immediate vicinity.  And there were literary and business men as well, all of whom seemed to enjoy his company, and who were very fond of calling and spending an hour in his studio.

I had only called the second time, and was going away, when he showed me a steamship he had constructed with his own hands—­a fair-sized model, complete in every detail, even to the imitation stokers in the boiler-room, and which would run by the hour if supplied with oil and water.  I soon learned that his skill in mechanical construction was great.  He was a member of several engineering societies, and devoted some part of his carefully organized days to studying and keeping up with problems in mechanics.

“Oh, that’s nothing,” he observed, when I marveled at the size and perfection of the model.  “I’ll show you something else, if you have time some day, which may amuse you.”

He then explained that he had constructed several model warships, and that it was his pleasure to take them out and fight them on a pond somewhere out on Long Island.

“We’ll go out some day,” he said when I showed appropriate interest, “and have them fight each other.  You’ll see how it’s done!”

I waited some time for this outing, and finally mentioned it.

“We’ll go tomorrow,” he said.  “Can you be around here by ten o’clock?”

Ten the next morning saw me promptly at the studio, and five minutes later we were off.

When we arrived at Long Island City we went to the first convenient arm of the sea and undid the precious fighters, in which he much delighted.

After studying the contour of the little inlet for a few moments he took some measurements with a tape-line, stuck up two twigs in two places for guide posts, and proceeded to fire and get up steam in his war-ships.  Afterwards he set the rudders, and then took them to the water-side and floated them at the points where he had placed the twigs.

These few details accomplished, he again studied the situation carefully, headed the vessels to the fraction of an inch toward a certain point of the opposite shore, and began testing the steam.

“When I say ready, you push this lever here,” he said, indicating a little brass handle fastened to the stern-post.  “Don’t let her move an inch until you do that.  You’ll see some tall firing.”