He bore hard on his mitten, and from under it rolled little cylinders, like maccaroni.

It could not be dirt, for it was too white.

He pared me down in this way for a long time.

Finally I said: "It is a tedious process.

It will take hours to trim me to the size you want me; I will wait; go and borrow a jack-plane." He paid no attention at all.
After a while he brought a basin, some soap, and something that seemed to be the tail of a horse.