"I don't know that, either," said Forester. "I know very little about it, only that it is a very costly wood, on account of some peculiar properties which it has, and its scarcity."
"What are the peculiar properties?" asked Marco.
"One is, its great hardness," said Forester. "It is very hard indeed. Another is, its color."
"What color is it?" asked Marco.
"Black," replied Forester,—"black as jet; at least, one kind is black as jet. There is a kind which is brown. It is called brown ebony."
"I don't think black is very pretty," said Marco.
"No," said Forester; "there does not seem to be much beauty in black, in itself considered; but then, for certain purposes, it is much handsomer than any other color would be; for a cane, for instance."
Marco looked at the beech cane which he had before him, and began to consider how it would look if it were black.
"I suppose I could paint my cane black," said he, after a moment's pause, "if you think it would be any better."