this sinew and brawn of reality. And men must plow and plant and reap
and hew and lift for their vision-bringers, and women must do it also.
It is only right. I am willing. Where were the neighbors to the Keatses
that they didn't--And I was about to be dissolved in a sea of sentiment
when Sam's voice hauled me to the surface as he shouted:

"Hi, Betty, get out and sight this end for a right angle-drop, as I
showed you. Wait! Back, boys!"

And after that I held the metal square and sighted until I felt as if I
had eaten a right angle, while Sam's crew heaved and raised and dropped
and rolled, until all four of the low walls were fitted into the
notches, log for log, and the roof-poles were laid just as the sun began
to quit his job and get on toward China.

"No four of their young Virginia pioneer ancestors who came over the
wilderness trail did it any quicker or better, Colonel," said daddy, as
he walked around to the back of the cabin and then again to the front.
As he spoke he laid his arm across Sam's shoulder--and I knew that the
breach was healed until the next time daddy tried to help him
financially.

All the log-raisers went home by twilight, and daddy and I were the
last. The Byrd had insisted on showing daddy nine little curly-tailed
pigs taking their evening repast at the maternal fount, which they were
shyly late in doing because the fledgling perched so near them on the
fence to exhibit and direct the repast.

This left me to help Sam gather up his tools and pick up the fragrant
cedar chips for Mammy's vesper fire.