The young engineer, Mr.Grinnell Rhodes, brought a letter to General Keith from Mr.Wickersham.He had sent his son down with the young man, and he asked that the General would look after him a little and would render Mr.Rhodes any assistance in his power.

The tall young engineer, with his clear eyes, pleasant voice, and quick ways, immediately ingratiated himself with both General Keith and Gordon.

The sight of the instruments and, much more, the appearance of the young "chief," his knowledge of the world, and his dazzling authority as, clad in corduroy and buttoned in high yellow gaiters, he day after day strode forth with his little party and ran his lines, sending with a wave of his hand his rodmen to right or left across deep ravines and over eminences, awakened new ambitions in Gordon Keith's soul.

The talk of building great bridges, of spanning mighty chasms, and of tunnelling mountains inspired the boy.

What was Newton making his calculations from which to deduce his fundamental laws, or Galileo watching the stars from his Florentine tower?
This young captain was Archimedes and Euclid, Newton and Galileo, all in one.