"Huh!" grunted the latter--nicknamed "The Parson," from his
old-fashioned ways and a solemn assumption of wisdom. "Perhaps they'll
not let you know anything at all about it. Bobby Simonds told me that
the big company in New York that has always made 'em is awful particular
about letting people see their machinery and things; and Bobby ought to
know 'cause his uncle's an engraver there."

"Are they going to make all the stamps here in Washington?" broke in
May, the baby of the family. "That'll be nice for you boys,'cause you
can get 'em cheaper at the factory, can't you?"

"That's just like a girl," laughed Jack. "Anybody would think they were
going to sell stamps by the yard."

"Well, my boy," said Mr. Copeland, "your sister is right, in a sense, as
under this act the Post-office Department will buy its stamps wholesale
from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, at a nominal price per
thousand, without reference to their face value. I think you also are
mistaken, Parson, as the public will doubtless be as free to inspect the
manufacture of stamps as they now are to see the process of
bank-note-making. When the stamp-printing plant is established, there
should be a great deal in it to interest you youngsters. What do you say
to a tour of investigation some Saturday?"

Their father's suggestion delighted the children, who waited eagerly for
the fulfilment of the promise.

This came on a bright October morning, when the little party climbed the
hill beyond the towering Washington Monument, and reached the grim brick
building which is known as the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

Here they were shown into a small reception-room, and kept waiting, with
a throng of other sight-seers, until a card from the chief procured for
them a special guide through the building. As she led them through a
long corridor, this lady explained something of the complete and
ingenious system which is in force here to prevent fraud or loss to the
government. No visitor is permitted inside the building without one of
the guides especially detailed for this service, while the work of each
of the hundreds of employe's is so carefully checked and recorded that
even the most insignificant error is readily traceable. Ink, paper, the
engravers' dies, the printers' plates, are all given out on properly
signed receipts, and until all are accounted for, even to the tiniest
scrap of paper, the employes who have handled them are not permitted to