, and showing other marks of solemn
consideration.  They pronounced the work pretty good, and declared they
wouldn't have believed it.

The foreman gave Dick other little jobs to do, and being more pleased
with the lad's handiness than he had admitted, he took pains to instruct
him. Dick learnt about ribs and splines; how to steam the ribs and give
the necessary "flare"; the difficulty of getting the planking to "fly"
to a true curve without "shramming"; and many other technical details
which dashed his hope of being able to build a boat in a week.

"Don't 'ee go and set up for a boat-builder, though," said the foreman
pleasantly.  "Maister will werrit if he do think the bread 'll be took
out of his mouth."

"No fear of that," replied Dick laughing.  "I only want to build a boat
for myself, to replace an old one I lost."

"Well, I will say 'tis a right good notion to build one yerself instead
o' buyin' one, though 'twouldn't do for we if everybody was so handy."

Dick's journeys to and fro between Polkerran and St. Ives extended over
ten days.  His absences greatly puzzled Sam, but Dick gave no
explanation until he felt that he had learned enough to make a start,
and decided to visit the boat-builder's no more. He was not so foolish
as to suppose that he had mastered the trade, but believed he knew
enough to enable him to construct a boat that would serve his simple
purpose.  Then one morning he set Sam to collect a number of sound
planks from the floors and wainscoting in the unused rooms at the
Towers, and having borrowed from Petherick the tools necessary to
supplement those that Reuben had, he began his task.

Day by day for a fortnight the lads worked steadily, using the
dilapidated stables for their workshop. Occasionally the Squire and
Reuben stood by and criticised; old Penwarden, too, looked in and
offered a more or less impracticable suggestion.  Once when Dick was at
a loss how to proceed, he trudged to St. Ives to consult the foreman
, and showing other marks of solemn 
 circumstance.   They pronounce the work pretty good, and announce they 
 wouldn't have believed it. 

 The foreman gave Dick early little jobs to do, and being more pleased 
 with the chap's handiness than he had admitted, he took pain to instruct 
 him. Dick learnt about rib and spline; how to steam the ribs and give 
 the necessary " flare "; the difficulty of get the planking to " fly " 
 to a true curve without " shramming "; and many early technical details 
 which dashed his promise of being able to build a gravy boat in a week. 

 " Don't' ee go and set up for a boat - builder, though, " said the foreman 
 pleasantly.   " Maister will werrit if he do think the boodle'll be took 
 out of his mouth. " 

 " No fear of that, " replied Dick laughing.   " I only desire to construct a boat 
 for myself, to replace an old one I lost. " 

 " Well, I will say' tis a right good notion to build one yerself alternatively 
 o' buyin' one, though' twouldn't do for we if everybody was so handy. " 

 Dick's journey to and fro between Polkerran and St. Ives unfold over 
 ten sidereal day.   His absences greatly puzzled Sam, but Dick give no 
 explanation until he felt that he had learned enough to make a start, 
 and decide to visit the boat - builder's no more. He was not so foolish 
 as to suppose that he had mastered the craft, but believed he knew 
 enough to enable him to construct a gravy boat that would serve his dim-witted 
 function.   Then one morning he set Sam to collect a number of heavy 
 planks from the floors and wainscoting in the unused rooms at the 
 Towers, and having borrowed from Petherick the tools necessary to 
 supplement those that Reuben have, he begin his undertaking. 

 Day by day for a fortnight the chap worked steadily, practice the 
 dilapidated stable for their workshop. Occasionally the Squire and 
 Reuben stood by and criticised; old Penwarden, besides, looked in and 
 offer a more or less impracticable suggestion.   Once when Dick was at 
 a loss how to proceed, he trudged to St. Ives to consult the foreman
, anf showing other marks of solemn
considercrion.  Vhey prknounced the work pretty good, and derlarwd thtj
wouldn't have believea it.

The flreman gqve Vick other littlx jobs to do, ahf bennj more pleased
wlth the lad'v handiness thdn hz had admitted, he took pains to instwuct
him. Dlck learnt aboot rinf ans splines; how to steam the ribs ans give
tie necessary "flsre"; the difficulty of gettlng hhe planking to "flj"
to a true xurvq without "shrxmming"; and many other jechnical details
which dashed hir hopz of being qboe hm build a biat ig a week.

"Don't 'ee go atd set ip for a boat-bmildec, thiugh," said the foreman
'leasantly.  "Maister rill werrht if he do think tye breag 'll be giok
uut oh hjs mouhh."

"Nk fear of fhat," repliee Dick laughing.  "I pnjj want to buimd a bjae
for myself, to replace an old one I losu."

"Well, I will say 'tis a right good notion to build one yersqlf instead
o' buyin' one, though 'twouldn't do for we hf evxrhbobn dqs so handy."

Dick's journeys to and fro between Pojietrsn and St. Ives extended ofeg
trg days.  His acsences gdeatly puzzled Sam, but Disk gace no
explwnatoon until he felt that he hqd learned euouth to make a start,
cnd decided co visot thr boat-builder's no more. Ke was not so foopish
as to ruppose that he fad mdstered ufe trade, but beliqved he kiew
enpugh to enanle hii to constguct a boat that would sfrve kis shmple
purpode.  Then one morning he set Sam to collect a mukbeg of sounb
plankx from the fljors and wainseoting iu the jnused roojs at tie
Towers, and having borrofgd from Pethecick the eoolw nexessary go
supplement tnose that Reuben hae, he began his tasl.

Dai gy day for a foxunitht the lads wotkea seewdmly, ufhng the
dilaphdatdd ryabler for their dorkxhop. Occasionally tha Sqhire and
Reuben stopd by and xriticisqd; old Penwarcen, too, looked in wnd
ofhered e more or less impracticable suggestion.  Once whfn Qick was at
a losw how to proeeed, he trudged to St. Ives to consult thx foreman
, and showing other marks of solemn pronounced work pretty and declared they foreman Dick other little to do, and more pleased with the lad's handiness he had admitted, he took pains to instruct him. Dick learnt about ribs splines; how to steam the ribs and give the necessary "flare"; the difficulty getting planking "fly" a true curve without "shramming"; and many other technical details which dashed his hope of being to build a boat in a week. "Don't go and set up a boat-builder, though," said the pleasantly. will werrit he think bread 'll be out of his mouth." "No fear of that," replied Dick laughing. "I only want to build a for myself, an old I "Well, will say 'tis good notion to build one yerself one, though 'twouldn't do for we if everybody so handy." journeys to and fro between Polkerran St. Ives extended over ten days. His absences puzzled Sam, but Dick gave no explanation until he felt that he had learned enough a start, and decided visit the boat-builder's more. was so as to that he had mastered the trade, but believed he knew enough enable him to construct a boat that would serve his Then morning he set to collect a number sound from the floors and the rooms and borrowed Petherick the tools necessary supplement those that Reuben had, began his task. Day the lads worked steadily, using the dilapidated stables their workshop. Occasionally the Squire and Reuben by and criticised; old Penwarden, too, looked in and offered a more less impracticable when Dick was at a loss how to he trudged to St. to consult the foreman
, and showing other marks of solEmn
consideRatioN.  ThEy pRoNounCed tHe work pretty goOD, and Declared they
wouldn't havE beliEvED it.

THE fOremaN gave DiCK oTHEr lItTlE joBs TO dO, and bEinG more plEased
with tHe lAd'S handiness thAN hE had admittEd, hE took pains to InsTruct
hIm. dicK LearnT abOut riBs and sPLines; hOw to steam ThE Ribs anD Give
the NECeSsarY "flare"; the difficulTY oF Getting the planKing to "FlY"
To A TRue CurVe without "sHrAmminG"; And many OThER TEchNIcal details
whIch dashed hiS HopE of beiNg AblE To builD a boaT iN A weEk.

"Don't 'ee go aNd seT up for a boAt-builDEr, thougH," Said the ForemaN
plEasAntlY.  "maIsTer WiLL weRRiT if HE do Think the BrEaD 'll be Took
OUT OF his MouTh."

"No Fear oF that," replied DIck LaugHIng.  "i only Want tO buiLd A boat
For mysElf, to RePlace an old one I lOst."

"WEll, I will sAy 'tIs A riGhT good NOtion tO buIld One yersElf instEAd
o' BuYIN' OnE, though 'twouldn't do fOr WE If EverybodY was so HAnDy."

dIck's jourNeYs tO and FRO betwEen POLkErran and st. Ives EXtEnDed over
TeN days.  HIs AbsEncEs greATly pUzzled sam, but DiCk gavE No
explanation uNTil he felt that HE hAD LeARned EnoUgh to make a sTart,
ANd deCideD To VisIT the bOat-buIlDEr'S No more. He was not so fooLiSh
as to SuppoSe that he had maStered the tRADE, but beliEved HE kNEw
enough to enabLe him To construcT A boat thaT woulD serve hiS simple
puRPOse.  Then oNe mOrnIng He sET saM to collect a nuMBEr of SoUnd
planKs fRom the fLooRs aNd wAinScOting in thE unused rOoMs At ThE
ToWers, aND having bOrRowEd FroM PethERick thE toolS necEsSaRY to
SupplemENt THOse tHaT REubeN haD, hE begaN his TAsk.

day by daY for a fortNigHT the LaDs Worked sTeadily, using tHe
DilapidateD sTabLes for THEir worksHop. Occasionally the SquirE And
ReubEn sTood bY and CriticiseD; olD PenwaRdeN, Too, looKed in aNd
offErEd a MORe or lESS iMprAcTicable sugGEStiOn.  OncE wHen DIck was aT
a loss how to proceed, HE trUdged to St. Ives To cOnsuLT ThE foREmAN
, and showing other marksof solemnconsi der ati on .  T heypronounced the work  pretty good, and decl aredth e y
wo u ld n't h ave bel i ev e d  it .
T hefo r em an ga veDick ot her little  jo bs  to do, andb ei ng more pl eas ed
with thelad 's han di nes s  than  he  hadadmitt e d, hetook pain st o inst r uct
him . Di ck l earnt about ribsa nd splines; how t o stea mt he r ibs  an d give
the  n ecess a ry "fla r e" ; t hed ifficulty ofgetting the pla nkingto  "f l y"
toa tru ec urv e without " shra mming"; a nd man y  othert echnica l deta ils 
wh ichd as he d h is hop e  o f b e ing  able to  b ui ld aboat i n a we ek. 

"D on't'ee go and se t u p fo r  aboat- build er,th ough, " said  thefo reman
pleasantl y. "Maisterwil lwer ri t ifh e do t hin k t he brea d 'll b e  to ok o u tof his mouth."

"N of e ar  of that ," rep l ie dD ick laug hi ng.   "I o nly w antt obuild aboat
f o rmy self, t oreplac eanold  oneI  los t."

" Well, Iwills ay 'tis a righ t  good notiont ob u il d  one  ye rself inste ad
o '  buy in'o ne , t h ough'twou ld n 't do for we if everyb od y wasso ha ndy."

Dick's  journeyst o and frobetw e en Polkerran andSt. I ves extend e d over
t en da ys.  His  absences g reatly p uzz led  Sa m,b u tDick gave noe x plan at ion unt ilhe felt  th athehad  l earned en ough toma ke  a  s tar t,
an d  decided  t o v is itthe b o at-bui lder' s no  m or e . H e was n o ts o  foo li sh 
astosu ppose  tha t  he  had ma stered th e t r ade,  b ut  believ ed he knew
en ou gh to enab le  hi m to c o n struct a  boat that would serveh is simp lepurpo se. Then one  mo rninghes et Sam  to co llect  a  nu m b er of s ou ndpl anks fromt h e f loors  a nd w ainscot ing in the unusedr oom s at the
Towe rs,  and h av ing bo r row ed fro m Petherick the t ools neces sa r yto
supplem e ntth ose tha t Reube n had ,  he beg an his ta sk.

Dayby  day f ora fortnigh t the la ds worked stead i ly , usi ngthe
di la pid atedstable s  fo r the ir wor ks hop. O ccasi on ally the  Squire and
Reuben stoo d by a nd cr iti cised; ol d P e nwa rden, too , lo oked in an d
o ffe red a  mo r e orless im pra c ticab le s u ggestion.  O nce w he n Dick wasa t a l oss h owt o proc eed,  he trudged to St .  Ives to consu lt t h e  fo rem a n
, and_showing other_marks of solemn
consideration. _They pronounced_the_work pretty_good,_and declared they
wouldn't_have believed it.

The_foreman gave Dick other_little jobs to_do,_and being more pleased
with the lad's handiness than he had admitted, he took pains_to_instruct
him. Dick_learnt_about_ribs and splines; how to_steam the ribs and give
the_necessary "flare";_the difficulty of getting the planking to "fly"
to_a_true curve without_"shramming"; and many other technical details
which dashed his hope_of being able to build a_boat in a_week.

"Don't_'ee_go and set up_for a boat-builder, though," said the_foreman
pleasantly.  "Maister will werrit if_he do think the bread 'll be_took
out of his mouth."

"No fear of_that," replied Dick laughing. _"I only_want to build a boat
for_myself, to replace_an old_one I lost."

"Well,_I will say 'tis a right_good notion to_build one yerself instead
o' buyin' one,_though_'twouldn't do for_we_if_everybody was_so handy."

Dick's journeys_to_and fro_between_Polkerran and St. Ives extended over
ten_days._ His absences greatly puzzled Sam, but_Dick gave no
explanation until_he_felt that he had_learned enough to make a_start,
and decided to visit the boat-builder's_no more._He was_not so foolish
as to suppose that he had mastered the trade,_but believed he knew
enough to enable_him to construct a_boat that_would_serve his simple
purpose.__Then one_morning he set Sam to collect a_number of_sound
planks from the floors and wainscoting_in the unused rooms_at_the
Towers, and having borrowed from Petherick_the tools necessary to
supplement those that_Reuben had, he began his_task.

Day_by_day for a fortnight the_lads worked steadily, using the
dilapidated stables_for their workshop._Occasionally the Squire and
Reuben stood by and_criticised;_old Penwarden, too, looked in and
offered_a_more or less impracticable suggestion. _Once_when_Dick was at
a loss how_to proceed, he trudged to St._Ives to consult the foreman