blue; and the face they
illumined was ruddy, wholesome, and alert.

Instantly Theo decided that since Mr. Croyden himself could not be his
guide he had at least provided a very pleasant substitute.

"Theo wants to see everything there is to be seen, Jack," continued
Mr. Croyden. "Tote him all about and answer all his questions; and
above all be thorough, even if you do not cover very much ground
during the morning. I want the processes carefully explained, for this
boy may be a china-maker himself some day. If I do not join you before
noontime bring all that is left of him back to the conservatory so I
can take him to lunch."

Mr. Marwood laughed, and so did Theo.

Then they passed out.

"Good luck!" called Mr. Croyden after them as he turned to take up his
mail.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XV

HOW PORCELAIN IS MADE

"We'll go to the slip-house first where the clay bins are,"
Mr. Marwood said to Theo, "that you may start at the very beginning of
things. That is where the cars run in and unload the raw material."

They walked down a long corridor and rang for the elevator.

As the car shot to the basement Theo noticed a change in the
appearance of the factory. On every floor they passed there was a hum
of machinery and a glimpse of endless rows of china dishes; they stood
on shelves; they covered tables; they were stacked one within another
upon long counters.

"Some dishes, eh?" Mr. Marwood laughed, reading the boy's thought.

"I never saw so many in my life!"

"You will see many more before you are through," remarked his
companion.

The elevator brought up with a jerk.

"Here we are!" exclaimed Mr. Marwood. "At least this is our way into
the slip-house."

He led Theo through a passage and across a court into the adjoining
building.

Here a white powder covered everything. Men who hurried by in overalls
and caps were dusty as millers, their hands being coated to the finger
tips with dried clay.

Mr. Marwood stepped forward into the long, cement-floored basement and
pointed to the tracks embedded in it.

"It is on these tracks," he said, "that the cars come in and deposit
their contents in the bins. The bins are of a pretty good size, you
see. They measure about sixteen by thirty-two feet, and each one will
hold eight car-loads of clay. After the different kinds of clay are
unloaded and placed in their respective bins, the proper combination
for specific varieties of porcelain must