"Yes," replied Forester. "The pine grows very straight. If we could find some young pines, they would make us some beautiful-looking canes."
"And how is it with the other qualities?" asked Marco.
"Pine is very light," said Forester.
"That is good," said Marco.
"And soft," said Forester.
"That is not so well," said Marco.
"And it is very weak and brittle."
"Then it will not do at all," said Marco. "I want a good strong cane."
Just at this time, they were ascending a hill, and, after passing over the summit of it, they came to a place where Forester said he saw, in the woods, a number of young oaks and beeches, which, he said, would make good canes. The oak, he said, was very strong, and hard, and tough; so was the beech.