The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-04-15
JACKS TIME.

"Cr-ea-ea-k! cr-ea-ea-k!" complained the old
grindstonc noisly, and after the fourth or fifth
turn Lucille looked up at the boy whose nose was
very close to the Ratchet he was griding
why don't you oil it, Jack!" she asked.
Going to as soon as | find time" he answered,
briskly; too busy just now"
There was a small oil can the deep window
shelf within reach, and still turning the crank with
one hand, Lucille reached out the other and at
tempted to oil the dry sockets, but the can was
empty.
Haven't you any oil ~ she asked.
Yes, in the jug the bench there; but I'm
in hurry now; I'll try to find time for it tomor-
row"
Lucille let got the handle and walked resolutely
to the jug. Not more than two minutes were re-
quired to FIJI the can and put few drops in the
complaining crank sockets, but Jack waited with
his Ratchet still pressed the stone, and his face
wrinkled with Impotence.
Pm in a great hurry, Lucille" he exclaimed,
impatiently.
All right: that's what l did it for, and to save
the crank. Father says when our carriage wheels
creek, they wearing out for want of oil, and
the carriage has to go slower. Now see" and
grasping the crank she turned it more rapidly than
before. After the first revolution the creaking
ceased. at turns much easier" she exclaimed,
brightly. Jack smiled rueful acquiescence, sup
pose you're right" he acknowledged but it really
did seem like wasting time. There! that's DONE
Now I'll get out some boards, and start on a new
boat"
rs the edge all right 2" asked Lucille, doubt
fully; you've only been sharpening it few min
utes and you said the edge was very dull"
"Oh, l think it will do; and anyway | can give
it few more touches in the morning. But what
do you know about edges" looking at her curl
ously.
That's what hatchet's for, isn't 1.-THE edge?"
she asked, seating herself upon basket of shaw
ings "Father says nothing can do the best work
unless it's at its very BEST and that means tools
and everything. But wasn't it too bad your boat
wouldn't go yesterday? What was the matterp
"Oh, the old thing leaked, though I made it
according to the directions given in the book. I'll
build one more, and if it doesn't sail right / will
know the man who wrote the book didn't understand
what he was writing about And | worked all day
yesterday on the old thing, too" He dropped upon
a box and began to lace one of his shoes, looking
ruefully at Lucille as he did so.
did you use that Ratchet in making it ?" asked
Lucille.
~Of course! that and the drawing knife and the
planes and saw on the bench beside you, and ham
mer and nails and such things"
"The Ratchet was very dull" said Lucille, point
eddy. She reached around and took the planes from
the bench and examined their knife edges criti-
cally; then she took down the saw and touched her
fingers cautiously to the teeth. what made your
boat leak, Jack! Was it the shape of the boat or
cracks"
"Why, [ shouldn't wonder if it were cracks"
he confessed frankly, smiling little lugubriously
at her questions. "The water came in where the
pieces were put together. | couldn't seem to fit
the joints very tightly"
"You couldn't very well, suppose, with dull
TOOLS" conceded Lucille sympathetically. She
handed him the saw, and he took it with protest
ing grimace
q know it's abominably dull" he said; gin worse
condition even than the grindstone No, you
needn't show me the planes" as she made motion
with them toward him. Il konw just how they are,
for I've been using them But you see I've been so
busy 1 really couldn't find time to sharpen them
| shall have to take tomorrow to clean house and
fix things-that is, after the boat is finished"
The shoe was laced now, but he made no attempt
to rise Indeed, he seemed to have forgotten his
haste of afew minutes before.
perhaps it might be a good idea to sharpen
the tools first" suggested Lucille. 1T took you all
day yesterday to make the boat, you know and two
hours would have sharpened the tools nicely. The
two hours would have been well spent And"
"If the tools had been well sharpened the edges
that made the joints of the boat that Jack built
would have been all right, and whole day saved
Whereas" springing suddenly to his feet, IF ex-
perence is to be made of use, the said Jack must
proceed this forenoon to sharpen tools instead of
beginning another boat. Thank you, Lucille; are
YOU open to another engagement at turning grind
stonep
"Indeed, l am" springing merrily from the
basket of shavings; "and I'm going down to the
dock to see the new boat launched. [ hardly think
it viii leak"
Nor did it. AS soon as the tools were sharp
ened. Jack went to work on the boat, and Lucille
instead of going off to her books and playthings as