"I know you do, sir."

"And you? You have nothing to do, I suppose. It chances that I have
heard to the contrary, my lad. You've put in some mighty good work
since you came here, and I am much gratified by the spirit you've
shown."

Giusippe glowed. It was not a common thing for Mr. Curtis to commend.

"I didn't know, sir, that you----"

"Knew what you were doing? Didn't any one ever tell you that I have a
search-light and a telescope in my office?" Uncle Tom laughed. "Oh, I
keep track of things even if I do seem to be otherwise occupied. So
look out for yourself! Beware! My eyes may be upon you almost any
time."

"I am not afraid, sir," smiled the boy.

"And you have no cause to be, either, my lad," was Uncle Tom's serious
rejoinder. "Now you and Jean fix up some date to see the works. Why not
to-morrow? It is Saturday, and she will not be at school."

"But I work Saturday mornings, Mr. Curtis."

"Can't somebody else do your work for you?"

"I have never asked that."

"Well, I will. We'll arrange it. Let us say to-morrow then. Take Jean
and explain things to her. You can do it, can't you?"

"I think so. Most of the process I understand now, and if there is
anything that I need help about I can ask."

"That's right. Just go ahead and complete the girl's education in
glass-making so she can write her Boston uncle that she is now
qualified to superintend any glass works that may require her
oversight."

Jean laughed merrily.

"I am afraid I should be rather a poor superintendent, Uncle Tom," said
she. "There seems to be such a lot to know about glass."

"There is," agreed Mr. Curtis. "Sometimes I feel as if about everything
in the world was made of it. Of course you've seen the ink erasers made
of a cluster of fine glass fibres. Oh, yes; they have them. And the
aigrettes made in the same way and used in ladies' bonnets. Then there
are those beautiful brocades having fine threads of spun glass woven
into them in place of gold and silver; it was a Toledo firm, by the
way, that presented to the Infanta Eulalie of Spain a dress of satin
and glass woven together. To-day came an order from California for
glass to serve yet another purpose; you could never guess what. The
people out there want some of our heaviest polished plate to make the
bottoms of boats."

"Of boats!"

"Boats," repeated Uncle Tom, nodding.

"But--but why make a glass-bottomed boat?"

"Well, in California, Florida, and many other w