"I guess you would find me a pretty poor hand at it," laughed the lad. "My fingers would be all thumbs." "Possibly at first. It is very fussy work, I must admit. But the processes are at least easy for you to understand. Another type of decoration that will interest you is that employed when we wish to put bands of solid color around the edges of plates or dishes; also when we wish to color their entire surface. We call it ground-laying. Now how do you suppose we do that?" Theo thought a moment. "I can't imagine," he said at last. "Of course you could not get the color even with a brush." "No," answered Mr. Marwood. "We must first apply to the space we wish to color a peculiar kind of oil, and afterward dust over this moistened surface a finely ground metallic color." "Which sticks only to the oiled part!" Theo exclaimed, quickly. "You have the idea. Then the superfluous powder is blown off, and when fired the dust fuses into a solid liquid color, giving us a smoothly laid band of red, blue, green, or what you will; or perhaps a dish of solid tone if that has been the intent. We do not use this method for every type of flat color work, however, because when the powdered color blows about the workers are apt to inhale it, and it is very bad for their health. Therefore when it is possible we tint the china by hand, which can be done if the color is a delicate one and spreads smoothly; or we color the clay itself." All this time Theo and Mr. Marwood had been passing through the factory and going from one building to another; now they entered the decorating department. "First I want you to see our air-brush process," Mr. Marwood said. He led the way to an ingenious machine which by means of compressed air was spraying a fine jet of color over the surface of a porcelain plate. In some places this color rippled away into a faint tint; in others it settled into an area of a deep rich tone. By the aid of stencils the effect produced was of an exquisitely shaded ware, and Theo watched the work with delight. "I think this air-brush process is the most interesting one I have seen," the boy cried. "It certainly is fascinating to watch, isn't it?" agreed Mr. Marwood. "I could stand here all day; but I fear we must go on, for we still have much to see. Let us go over to where those girls are gilding. Some of them are putting a fine gold line on the china, and others are doing elaborate designs in gold. The work of the next group is to gild the handles of cups and dishes." They passed on and stood beside the workers. "That does not look like gold!" exclaimed Theo, who viewed in astonishment the chocolate brown pigment that the girls were using. Mr. Marwood laughed.