The boy worked, and thought, and in time arrived at such delicacies of
execution, he became discontented with the humdrum tools then current.
"Then learn to make your own, boy," cried Joseph Little, joyfully; and
so initiated him into the whole mystery of hardening, forging, grinding,
handle-making, and cutlery: and Henry, young and enthusiastic, took his
turn at them all in right down earnest.

At twenty, he had sold many a piece of delicate carving, and could make
graving-tools incomparably superior to any he could buy; and, for his
age, was an accomplished mechanic.

Joseph Little went the way of all flesh.

They mourned and missed him; and, at Henry's earnest request, his mother
disposed of the plant, and went with him to London.

Then the battle of life began. He was a long time out of employment, and
they both lived on his mother's little fortune.

But Henry was never idle. He set up a little forge hard by, and worked
at it by day, and at night he would often sit carving, while his mother
read to him, and said he, "Mother, I'll never rest till I can carve the
bloom upon a plum."

Not to dwell on the process, the final result was this. He rose at last
to eminence as a carver: but as an inventor and forger of carving tools
he had no rival in England.

Having with great labor, patience, and skill, completed a masterpiece of
carving (there were plums with the bloom on, and other incredibles),