Now after a week the hair was
easily scraped off and the hide, cleaned and trimmed of all loose
ends and tags, was spread out -- soft, white, and supple.
Beginning outside, and following round and round the edge, Quonab
cut a thong of rawhide as nearly as possible a quarter inch wide.
This he carried on till there were many yards of it, and the hide
was all used up. The second deer skin was much smaller and
thinner. He sharpened his knife and cut it much finer, at least
half the width of the other. Now they were ready to lace the
shoes, the finer for the fore and back parts, the heavy for the
middle on which the wearer treads. An expert squaw would have
laughed at the rude snowshoes that were finished that day, but
they were strong and serviceable.
Naturally the snowshoes suggested a toboggan. That was easily
made by splitting four thin boards of ash, each six inches wide
and ten feet long. An up-curl was steamed on the prow of each,
and rawhide lashings held all to the crossbars.
Chapter 30. Catching a Fox
As to wisdom, a man ain't a spring; he's a tank, an' gives out
only what he gathers" -- Sayings of Si Sylvanne
Quonab would not quit his nightly couch in the canvas lodge so
Rolf and Skookum stayed with him.
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