If the wind comes up, and I think it will, you may get a start after dinner," and Doctor Joe returned to the cabin to watch over his patient.
The goose was plucked.

David split a stick of wood, and with his jack-knife whittled shavings for the fire.

The knife had a keen edge, for David was a born woodsman and every woodsman keeps his tools always in good condition, and the shavings he cut were long and thin.
He did not cut each shaving separately, but stopped his knife just short of the end of the stick, and when several shavings were cut, with a twist of the blade he broke them from the main stick in a bunch.

Thus they were held together by the butt to which they were attached.

He whittled four or five of these bunches of shavings, and then cut some fine splints with his axe.
David was now ready to light his fire.