who appreciate me at my full
value. I am really a very gifted person if only other people suspected
it. In return for your recognition of my talents I have half a mind to
favor you with another of my celebrated lectures this very instant."

"I wish you would," came eagerly from Theo. "But aren't you going off
fishing this morning?"

"No. Your father and Manuel are going to fish some secret trout hole,
and they did not invite me. You see, your father's guide and mine are
the best of friends until it comes to trout holes; then they are sworn
enemies. Manuel won't tell Tony where he finds his five and six
pounders; and Tony won't tell Manuel. Yesterday Tony actually led me
nearly half a mile out of my way so Manuel should not see where we
were going. He wanted to throw him off the scent, and I guess he did
it, too. This rivalry between fishing guides is very common and
sometimes, I am sorry to say, it is less good-natured than here."

"It seems very silly," Theo remarked.

"It is the same old question of protecting the source of one's
income. Governments as well as individuals have to confront the
problem. You remember how the Chinese tried to shut every one out from
knowing how they made their porcelain?"

"Yes, indeed. And you never have told me yet how the European nations
found out the secret."

"Until now we had not come to that story," replied Mr. Croyden. "But
to-day it chances that that is the very tale I have in mind to tell
you."

Theo rubbed his hands, and with a contented smile settled back against
the pillows prepared to listen.

"As I told you," began Mr. Croyden, "about 1518 Portuguese traders
brought Chinese porcelains into Europe; and following their lead the
Dutch imported the same goods in even greater quantities. Everywhere
people marveled at the beauty of these wares just as you would have
done if up to that time you had never seen anything but crude clay
dishes. The whiteness of the porcelain seemed a miracle, and on every
hand people were eager to make such china themselves. Especially
eager were the rulers of the different European countries, who were
clever enough to see that such production would greatly increase their
national fame and prosperity. Now there chanced to be a Prussian by
the name of Boettger, an alchemist, who because of the wars had fled
for safety to Meissen. He was a man well-versed in the composition of
minerals and chemicals, and in consequence Augustus II, who was a