“How!” said the young man, “was your cask sufficient to support you?”
“Not alone, sir; but I have still another profession.”
“Another profession!”
“Ha, ha, yes, sir; the river always runs, except when it is frozen, and, as Mr. Desgranges says, 'water-carriers do not make their fortune with ice,' so he gave me a Winter trade and Summer trade.”
“Winter trade!”
Mr. Desgranges returned at this moment—James heard him—“Is it not true, Mr. Desgranges, that I have another trade besides that of water-carrier?”
“Undoubtedly.”
“What is it then?”
“Wood-sawyer.”
“Wood-sawyer? impossible; how could you measure the length of the sticks? how could you cut wood without cutting yourself?”