assiduity to the construction of our boat, which at length began to
look somewhat like one. But those only who have had the thing to
do can entertain a right idea of the difficulty involved in such an
undertaking, with no other implements than an axe, a bit of hoop-
iron, a sail-needle, and a broken pen-knife. But Jack did it. He
was of, that disposition which WILL not be conquered. When he
believed himself to be acting rightly, he overcame all obstacles.
I have seen Jack, when doubtful whether what he was about to do
were right or wrong, as timid and vacillating as a little girl, -
and I honour him for it!

As this boat was a curiosity in its way, a few words here relative
to the manner of its construction may not be amiss.

I have already mentioned the chestnut tree with its wonderful
buttresses or planks. This tree, then, furnished us with the chief
part of our material. First of all Jack sought out a limb of a
tree of such a form and size as, while it should form the keel a
bend at either end should form the stem and stern posts. Such a
piece, however, was not easy to obtain, but at last he procured it,
by rooting up a small tree which had a branch growing at the proper
angle about ten feet up its stem, with two strong roots growing in
such a form as enabled him to make a flat-sterned boat. This
placed, he procured three branching roots of suitable size, which
he fitted to the keel at equal distances, thus forming three strong
ribs. Now, the squaring and shaping of these, and the cutting of
the grooves in the keel, was an easy enough matter, as it was all
work for the axe, in the use of which Jack was become wonderfully
expert; but it was quite a different affair when he came to nailing
the ribs to the keel, for we had no instrument capable of boring a