But he continued to be "queer" and his absent-minded dreaminess was in evidence even then.
"I snum I don't know what to make of him," declared Mr.Abijah Mullett, who was the youth's "boss." "Never know just what he's goin' to do or just what he's goin' to say.

I says to him yesterday: 'Jed,' says I, 'you do pretty well with tools and wood, considerin' what little experience you've had.

Did Cap'n Thad teach you some or did you pick it up yourself ?' He never answered for a minute or so, seemed to be way off dreamin' in the next county somewheres.

Then he looked at me with them big eyes of his and he drawled out: 'Comes natural to me, Mr.Mullett, I guess,' he says.

'There seems to be a sort of family feelin' between my head and a chunk of wood.' Now what kind of an answer was that, I want to know!" Jed worked at carpentering for a number of years, sometimes going as far away as Ostable to obtain employment.