“Yes, you can, Sam. I made that lovely bird house last night but I need you to saw off that old clothes pole, square across the top, so we can nail the house on it and brace it firmly with a few wooden supports from underneath. Can you cut it across squarely?”
“Sure, ’cause dat ain’t nuttin’ to do!” declared Sam, going for the hammer and saw.
Norma carried out the short ladder and placed it against the post, and when Sam came with the tools, he climbed up to the second from the top rung and began to look sideways at the top of the pole, while squinting scientifically to measure its diameter.
Norma watched patiently for a few moments, then she said: “Why, Sam! You don’t have to do any measuring or marking to get your right line. Just saw through that cove that runs around the post where the fancy acorn top begins. That’s true enough to guide anyone.”
“Dat’s so, Norma! I didn’t never think of dat way,” admitted Sam, grinning at his lack of judgment.
Norma handed him the saw and Sam began to work it across the post. He had to lift his right arm even with his eyes, to saw in the groove made by the turning mill when the post was made, and this made the work the harder for him.
Norma stood below watching as the saw began to bite into the old wood. Sam sawed and sawed, and was halfway through the pole when Norma went to the other side to see how much more he had to do.
“Oh, Sam! You’re way off the groove on this side of the post!” exclaimed she anxiously.
“It look straight enough from dis side,” argued Sam.
“Get down and look for yourself! Your saw runs up more than an inch on the back of the post.”