“Why, Billy, my lad!” exclaimed he, looking up with so much surprise in his face that Billy said quickly:
“It’s all right, Uncle John. Mr. Prescott sent me to watch you work.”
“Things,” said Uncle John, with a smile that made wrinkles around his eyes, “generally come round right if you wait for them.”
“What is that?” asked Billy, pointing at the bar.
“That is a mold for a lathe,” answered Uncle John. “I’m nearly through with it, then I’m going to help out on corn cutters. We have a rush order on corn canning machines. You’d better sit on that box till I’m through.”
Billy looked at the tiny trowel in Uncle John’s hand, and saw him take off a little sand in one place, and put some on in another, until the mold was smooth and even. Then he tested his corners with what he called a “corner slick.”
“I never supposed that you worked that way,” said Billy, “but Miss King told me that molders are artists in sand.”
“Did she, though?” said Uncle John, straightening up to take a final look at his work. “I’ll remember that.
“Now we’ll go over where they are working on the corn cutters. It’s a little cooler on that side.”
“Where does black sand come from?” asked Billy.