CHAPTER XI 



WINTER] FESTIVITIES 



The sun had nearly reached its southern limit, 

 and the ordinary chores, together with hauhng 

 firewood and bucking and splitting it, occupied 

 a considerable part of the short winter day. It 

 is well to keep plenty of firewood split, not only 

 for winter use, but to avoid having to do it 

 during the summer, when every hour is valuable 

 on the land. 



The " Canadian fiddle," as the bucksaw is 

 sometimes called, is a capital tool for sawing 

 into lengths, and it is matter for surprise it is 

 not more used in Britain. A thin steel saw- 

 blade is kept in tension by means of a frame and 

 tension screws, and Tom's strong arms and power- 

 ful frame found healthy exercise in driving it 

 through the poplar logs, cutting them into some 

 fifteen-inch lengths, which he then split with 

 the axe, in the use of which implement he had 

 now acquired considerable efficiency, and rather 

 prided himself on being able once in a while to 



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