“Here’s a new worker good and clever.
Man must work forever and ever.”
On the return jumping-trip, when Rafael’s back was beginning to ache, each asked:
“What do you do with your best endeavor?”
And he, as he had been instructed, made answer:
“I’m a carpenter good and clever.”
On the third leaping, each workman paused with his hands on Rafael’s shoulders to put a question to the master and, upon receiving a negative reply, vaulted as before.
“Have you saws that saw as sharp saws should?”
“Yes, my saws are very good.”
“Have you planes that plane as smooth planes should?”
“Yes, my planes are very good.”
“Have you hammers that pound as hammers should?”
“Yes, my hammers are very good.”
“Have you gimlets that bore as gimlets should?”
“No, my gimlets are not so good.”
At this the last questioner flung his arms about Rafael, pulling the doubled little figure upright, and all the boys dealt him friendly cuffs and tweaks as they dragged him to the master, chorusing:
“He needs a gimlet; that is true.
He needs a gimlet and he’ll take you.”