He acquired the knack thus of throwing the bit of steel into the gash as though it were a baseball on the end of a string; and so accomplished power.

By experiment he learned just when to slide the guiding hand down the helve; and so gained accuracy.

He suffered none of those accidents so common to new choppers.

His ax did not twist itself from his hands, nor glance to cut his foot.

He attained the method of the double bit, and how to knock roots by alternate employment of the edge and flat.