d. Was it boiling, sir, eh? when you took it off the fire?
That is the question, sir."

"Yes, sir, that was what I mean to say, sir," replied Thomas.

"Mean to say, sir! Then why didn't you say it, sir? Eh? There--no, don't
put it on, sir; hold it still. Harry, reach me the thermometer," said
Mr. Bagges, putting on his spectacles. "Let me see. The boiling point of
water is two hundred and--what?"

"Two hundred and twelve, Fahrenheit," answered Master Wilkinson, "if
commonly pure, and boiled in a metallic vessel, and under a pressure of
the atmosphere amounting to fifteen pounds on every square inch of
surface, or when the barometer stands at thirty inches."

"Gracious, what a memory that boy has!" exclaimed his uncle. "Well; now
this water in the kettle--eh?--why, this is not above one hundred and
fifty degrees. There, sir, now set it on the fire, and don't bring me up
cold water to make tea with again; or else," added Mr. Bagges, making a
vague attempt at a joke, "or else--eh?--you will get yourself into hot
water."

Mr. Thomas was seized with a convulsion in the chest, which he checked
by suddenly applying his open hand to his mouth, the effort distending
his cheeks, and causing his eyes to protrude in a very ridiculous
manner, while Mr. Bagges disguised his enjoyment of the effects of his
wit in a cough.

"Now let me see," said the old gentleman, musingly contemplating the
vessel simmering on the fire; "how is it, eh, Harry, you said the other
day that a kettle boils?"

"La!" interrupted Mrs. Wilkinson, who was of the party, "why, of course,
by the heat of the coals, and by blowing the fire, if it is not hot
enough."

"Aha!" cried her brother, "that's not the way _we_ account for things,
Harry, my boy, eh? Now, convince your mother; explain the boiling of a
kettle to her: come."

"A kettle boils," said Harry, "by means of the action of currents."

"What are you talking about? Boiling a plum-pudding in a tea-kettle!"
exclaimed the mystified mamma.

"Currents of heated particles--of particles of hot water," Harry
explained. "Suppose you put your fire on your kettle--on the lid of
it--instead of your kettle on your fire--- what then?"

"You would be a goose," said his mother.

"Exactly so--or a gosling"--rejoined her son; "the kettle would not
boil. Water is a bad conductor of heat. Heat passes through the
substance of water with very great difficulty. Therefore, it would have
a hard matter to get from