“Make it this size,” explained Jim, handing the boy an auger. “It’s large enough to give a clearance around the shaft.”
Jim watched the boy carefully, as the hole had to be bored at exactly the right angle. Several times he tested the slant with a long, straight piece of wood, and by this means accuracy was assured.
No sooner had the task been accomplished than Jim straightened himself up, and took out his watch.
“Not another stroke to-night, young uns,” he said. “It’s gittin’ on to six o’clock, and——”
“Goodness gracious!” exclaimed Jack. “It seems as if we hadn’t worked any time, doesn’t it? Slow job, eh?”
Jim looked pained.
“That’s a fine way to talk,” he grumbled; “an’ me with about twenty different kind o’ aches and pains.”
Jack slapped him on the back, and laughed. “Cheer up, old man. Now mind you get here early to-morrow morning; and we’ll finish the job in great shape.”
“An’ me, too, I guess,” sighed Jim.
Time has a stubborn way of moving slowly when the reverse is desired; and Joe insisted that on the following morning the sun rose fifty minutes late and that the hours were at least twenty minutes too long; and Jack said he was right.