"Guess Miss Miller wouldn't give a reward for that!" said Jane, meaningly.
"Well, out she comes!" and Zan took the hammer and turned it about to use the forked end on the nail. The head of the wire nail was not broad and the hammer stripped it, leaving the remains of the wire still sticking in the wood.
"Did you ever! I s'pose the old thing will come off altogether, next!" grumbled Zan.
She tried the hammer in every conceivable position but the nail seemed to be stuck for good. "I'll get you this time!" added Zan, placing the hammer under the strip and bending back the handle of the tool until suddenly the strip cracked and half of it came out with the hammer while the carpenter rolled backward.
Miss Miller and the girls came over to see the cause of the commotion and the Guide soon found that impatience and carelessness had made extra work for Zan and delayed the work.
Zan fully appreciated the cause of the accident and felt repentant the moment she saw the damaged strip.
"Miss Miller, my besetting sin did that! Please let me whittle a new strip while the girls and you continue making the doors. I was just crazy to work on those doors and screw on the hinges, but I'll do the other work as a punishment for impatience?"
Miss Miller heartily approved this attitude and smiled.
"Oh, you needn't show how glad you are that I realise my fault—I find it much pleasanter to obey my own dictated punishment than if you had to suggest it!" added Zan, frankly.
The Guide and Zan's companions laughed, for it was a candid statement of truth. Who wouldn't prefer to endure their own suggested punishments than follow some one else's?