"But what are the sills?" asked Tom Ridley.
"I will explain the details as soon as you get the general idea of the frame," replied the instructor. "As I have said, the space to be enclosed by the frame is divided into six sections of the whole length. Each of these sections contains two of the squares I have described. Now, Ludlow, give me the size of the ground of each section."
"Thirty-two by sixteen," replied the student indicated.
"Right; and the boat-house will be the same as six buildings of thirty-two by sixteen, though all but two of the sides would be common to two of them. What I shall call a section of the frame includes all the timbers in one end of the building. I say one end. Never mind the length of the building. How many of these sections of the frame will there be, Bellows?"
"Six, of course," replied the student; and about half the boys laughed outright.
"Wrong," added Mr. Brookbine, joining in the laugh. "We have had this subject up before in the shop, and I am sorry you have forgotten about it. If you set up six stakes in the ground, how many spaces are there between them, Bellows?"
"Six, I should say;" and the boys all laughed again.
"Set them up and count them," continued the master carpenter, rather impatiently.
Ned Bellows did so, and could count only five spaces. He was required to add another stick, and this gave him the six spaces, as in the building.