The Double Handcuffs.—This is the way to do it. C must gather up into a loop the string which binds his hands, pass it under the string fastened round either of B’s wrists, and slip it over B’s hands. This done, both will be set free. To replace the strings, reverse the process.
CHAPTER XXI.
WORK AND PLAY AT THE BENCH
Wood Carving.—The best kinds of wood include white holly, walnut and sycamore, and pieces of empty cigar boxes, often Spanish cedar, are not to be despised. A pocket-knife, some bradawls, a few files, flat, round and triangular, a fine saw and some coarse sandpaper complete the tools needed for most of the work.
Draw very carefully upon paper the design with which you wish to ornament some article you may have made with wood. When you have at last drawn the design quite accurately there are many ways in which you may transfer the drawing to the wood. It may be pasted upon the wood so that paper and wood will be cut away together in those parts that are to fall below the general surface of the wood and at the end the paper that remains may be washed away. Another way is to cut out the design with scissors, lay it upon the wood and go carefully round the edges with a lead pencil; or you may without cutting it out place it upon the wood and prick through the design or at any rate the principal points with a pin. If you were to scribble with crayon, coloured chalk or pencil upon the back of the paper and were then to lay the paper upon the wood and go over the design with a hard point, using some pressure, the design would be transferred to the wood, or still another way would be to use carbon paper (see Chap. XXIV.) between the paper and the wood instead of scribbling upon the back of the paper.
However, we will suppose the design in some way or another has been placed in pencil upon the wood. Now with regard to every part in which the intention is to take out the wood completely from front to back bore a hole. Then take your fret-cutter’s saw or dentist’s saw and unfastening one end put this end through the hole and fasten it again. Saw perpendicularly.
At this stage the young carver will need to decide whether he will follow the pencil lines exactly. If he is a very expert sawyer he may, but it is much safer to leave a little wood to be removed by pocket-knife, chisel, or file. It is easy to do this; but if he saws out a little too much wood, if he transgresses the pencil line, he cannot put back the wood he has wrongfully cut away. After the filing a little rubbing with sandpaper will complete the work. Sometimes it is an advantage to adjust the saw in its frame with the teeth inside or sideways.
How to make a Schooner.—Take a block of wood two feet four inches long, eight inches wide, and eight inches deep. We name this as a convenient size; but a boy may if he likes make his boat twice this size, or half this size, and so long as he makes his alterations in proportion it will not matter. Try to get the wood without knots or other faults. White pine or deal with a straight grain is the best, for this wood is easy to cut into shape, and it is light.
