170 BRAGGADOCIO.

a chemist as Professor Hare, of Philadelphia,
or Professor Silliman, of Yale College. You.
have made an excellent beginning. Where
did you get all these colors ?”

“Logwood, and sumac, and indigo, and
other things I have picked up, and then I
have alum, and soda, and sulphuric and other
acids, and I try many mixtures. There’s a
beautiful purple, if it only had been on silk
instead of that bit of unbleached cotton,” said
Tom, showing a color which had been the
successful result of his last experiment.

“A fine color, truly. What are you going
to do this afternoon ?”

“T was only going to make a frame on which
I might stretch my pieces of cloth, that they
may dry smooth. You see they are full of
fine wrinkles.”

“T can help you do that, Tom; for I have
learned to use tools less awkwardly than I did
at first,” said Howard.

While the boys were thus employed, Mr.
Starr, taking out paper and pencil, sat down
under one of the trees, and amused himself
with drawing a sketch of Bessie and Tom, with