Jonathan was sorry for Mr. Howe. "I'll buy a machine some day," he announced.
"Thank you, little boy," answered Mr. Howe. "I've no doubt you will."
But the tailors laughed and shook their heads.
Before they left the workshop, Jonathan's party had a long talk with Mr. Howe.
"We are from the country," they said, "with no money to buy a machine of this sort. But we are interested in it, and we believe it has a future. Will thee tell us more about it?"
"Gladly," said Mr. Howe. "I've been at work on the machine most of the time for the last five years—ever since I was twenty-one, in fact. I was born up in Worcester County, in Spencer. When I was eleven, I was bound out to a farmer, but I liked machinery better. I went to Lowell as soon as my parents were willing, and worked a while in a cotton mill. But I did not like that very well, it was so monotonous, and I came down here to work for Mr. Davis in Cornhill. One day a man who was trying to construct a knitting machine came in to see if Mr. Davis could make him a suggestion. But Davis really made the suggestion to me. 'Why don't you make a sewing machine?' he asked.
"'I wish I could,' the man answered, 'but it can't be done.'
"'Oh, yes,' cried Davis, 'I could make one myself.'