Fig. 20.—Detail of Vertical Stick.
Fig. 21.—Detail of Bow-stick.
Fig. 22.—Detail of End of Bow-stick.
Flying-Line. The kind of cord which a mason uses for his plumb-lines is splendid for flying the Malay kite. If you cannot get some balls of this, be certain that what you do get can be relied upon, because it is provoking to lose a kite which you have taken a great deal of pains in making, through the breaking of the flying line.
The Box-kite. Of the more pretentious kites, none is as popular as the rectangular box-kite.
Box-kites may be purchased ready-made in a number of sizes, but they are not cheap, and it will pay any boy to take the time necessary to make one. While their construction requires considerable more work than the single-plane type of kite, it is not difficult.
Fig. 23.—Raising the Box-kite.
[Figures 23] and [24] show a kite of scientifically developed proportions. Pine, spruce, and whitewood are the best materials for
The Kite Sticks, though any strong, light-weight wood of straight grain may be used if easier to obtain. If you live near a lumber yard or planing-mill, possibly you can get strips of just the size you require from the waste heap, for the mere asking, or for a few cents get them ripped out of a board. If not, you will find it easy enough to cut them yourself with a sharp rip-saw.