“I admitted it was not next to the presidency,” declared Peter, laughing. “But just keep in mind that we are not going to do it always.”
And Peter’s prediction was true, for in a few days notice came that the boys were to be promoted to a more difficult task.
Strangely enough, and fortunately too for the beginners, it was their cheery old friend McCarthy who gave them their first lesson in trimming off the stock to fit the frames; attaching the toggles, or nippers; and tying the leather so that every part of it could be drawn out taut.
“The finishers, or slickers as we call them, cannot put any gloss on unless the leather is perfectly tight,” insisted McCarthy.
Peter tugged at his twine.
“What kind of stock do they use for patent leather?” he puffed. “Let me see! This must be——”
“Colt. Colt, calf, or kid is used. Colt, as you already know from your experience in the tanneries, is either the skin of a young horse or the split skin of a full-grown one. It works up into a light weight, fine grade patent leather. Calfskins you know all about too; they run light in weight anyway and, you remember, only need to be trimmed down to uniform thickness before tanning and dyeing. Patent calf is a heavy, air-tight leather which has been known to crack,” whispered McCarthy with a wink, “but if it doesn’t it wears well. Our best patent leather, though, is made from kid——”
“Which in reality is goat,” interrupted Peter.
“True enough. So it is. Well, patent kid, as we call it, is not only light weight and elastic, but it is also porous. In fact, it is the only patent leather made that is not air-tight. It is the air-tightness of patent leather, you know, which makes it so hot to wear.”
“Why, I always thought the trouble was with my feet!” ejaculated Peter.