Uncle Seth took the wheel from the floor, put the legs in again, crossed the band, and put it on the wheel.
"Now you can stand up, and turn: put some clay on the wheel, and I'll turn for you."
Uncle Seth turned, and Sam made another pot.
The boys could hardly contain themselves, they were so delighted.
"How much you do know, Uncle Seth!" said Archie: "we don't know any thing."
"You haven't been learning so long as I have. I want you to pay attention, and I'll explain something to you. You see this spindle don't turn very fast,—not near as fast as the spindle on your mothers' flax-wheels; and yet this large wheel is exactly the same kind of a wheel. What do you suppose is the reason?"
"We don't know," said Archie.
"If that pulley, Sammy, that is on the spindle (little wheel you call it), was just as large as the flax-wheel, and you should turn that, the other would turn just as fast,—just as many times,—wouldn't it?"
"Yes, sir: of course it would if they were both of just the same bigness."
"Well, then, if you should make the flax-wheel as big again as the pulley, the pulley would turn twice when the flax-wheel turned once: wouldn't it?"