row and rapidly drawing tan leather first over a wooden upright set
in the floor, and then over their knee.

"Those," Stuart answered, "are knee-stakers. Strangely enough no machine
has yet been invented which will give to certain kinds of leather the
elasticity and softness which can be put into it by a man's stretching
it over his bare knee. It is a curious way to earn one's living, isn't
it? See how quickly they work and how strong they are. Just look how the
muscles of their legs stand out!"

"I should say so," Peter answered. "Why, it almost seems as if they must
have been track sprinters all their lives. They must be well paid."

"What they earn depends on how fast they work," Stuart said. "All this
finishing is piece work. The more a man can do in an hour the higher he
is paid. Almost all these fellows are skilled workmen who have been at
just this task for a long time. They do it rapidly and well, and receive
good wages."

Stuart walked on and Peter followed.

"Here is a machine that makes gun-metal finished leather for the uppers
of black shoes; the leather is, as you see, put through a series of
rollers where it is blacked, oiled, and ironed, and comes out with that
dull surface."

"Are all these different kinds of leather really made from calfskins?"
asked Peter at last.

"Practically so--yes," replied Stuart. "Upper or dressed leather is made
from large calfskins or else from kips. Kips, you know, are the skins
of under-sized cows, oxen, horses, buffalo, walrus, and other such
animals. These are tanned and sorted out in the beamhouse when wet. The
thick ones are usually split thin by machinery and the two parts are
finished separately. The part of the leather where the hair grew is the
more valuable and is called the grain; the other part which was next to
the animal is called the split. Remember those two terms--the grain and
the split."

"I'll try my best," said Peter with a doubtful shake of his head. "I am
dreadfully afraid, though, that I shall forget some of the things you
have told me to-day."

"I don't expect you to remember all I've told you, Strong," laughed
Stuart, good-naturedly. "Why, you would not be a human, breathing boy if
you did. It has taken me a long time to learn the facts that I have been
telling you. But do remember about the grain and the split; and while
you are remembering that, try also to remember that a rough split is the
cheapest leather made. Some heavy hides are sp