gnarled spruce, twisted and stunted by the northern blasts which swept
the Bay. After some search, however, they discovered a white spruce
tree suitable for their purpose, with a trunk ten inches in diameter.
David felled it and cut from its butt a two-foot length. This he
proceeded to split into as thin slabs as possible. Then with their
jack-knives the boys began the tedious task of whittling the surfaces
of the slabs into smooth boards, first trimming them down to an inch
and a half in thickness with the axes.

"How'll we make un fast when we gets un done?" asked Jamie. "We has no
nails."

"I'm thinkin' of that," said David. "I'm not knowin' yet, but we'll
find some way."

"I've got a way," Andy announced. "I been thinkin' and thinkin' and I
found a way to make un fast."

"How'll you make un fast now without nails?" David asked expectantly.

"We'll tie un with spruce roots, like the Injuns puts their canoes
together," explained Andy. "We'll cut holes in each end of un in the
right place to tie un fast to the braces of the boat. We'll have to
make holes in the bottom of the boat each side of the braces for the
roots to come through so we can make un fast. That'll hold un. Then
when we've made un fast we'll caulk un up with spruce gum."

"Why can't we cut strips of sealskin off our sleepin' bags for strings
to tie un with?" suggested David. "'Twould be easier than makin'
spruce root strings, and quicker too, and the sealskin would be strong