Quonab of course took charge; but Rolf followed
in everything. Each took a lath and shaved it down evenly until
an inch wide and three quarters of an inch thick. The exact
middle was marked, and for ten inches at each side of that it was
shaved down to half an inch in thickness. Two flat crossbars,
ten and twelve inches long, were needed and holes to receive
these made half through the frame. The pot was ready boiling and
by using a cord from end to end of each lath they easily bent it
in the middle and brought the wood into touch with the boiling
water. Before an hour the steam had so softened the wood, and
robbed it of spring, that it was easy to make it into any desired
shape. Each lath was cautiously bent round; the crossbars
slipped into their prepared sockets; a temporary lashing of cord
kept all in place; then finally the frames were set on a level
place with the fore end raised two inches and a heavy log put on
the frame to give the upturn to the toe.
Here they were left to dry and the Indian set about preparing
the necessary thongs. A buckskin rolled in wet, hard wood ashes
had been left in the mud hole.
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