in, apply a second coat of the same varnish, but with less turpentine; and finally cover the laps or joints of the paper with pieces of muslin stuck on with thick varnish.  Now remove the loose strips of ash and put on another layer of paper, fastening it along the edge of the boat by replacing the strips as before.  When the paper is dry, cover the laps with muslin as was done with the first covering.  Then varnish the whole outside of the boat several times until it presents a smooth shining surface.  Then take some of the split rattan and, after wetting it, wind it firmly around both gunwales and inside strip, passing it through small holes punched in the paper just below the gunwale, until the inside and outside strips are bound together into one strong gunwale.  Then put a piece of oil-cloth in the boat between the cross-boards, tacking it to the bottom-board.  This is done to protect the bottom of the boat.

Now you may already have a canoe that is perfectly water-tight, and steady in the water, if it has been properly constructed of good material.  If not, however, in a few days you may be disappointed to find that it is becoming leaky.  Then the best remedy is to cover the whole boat with unbleached muslin, sewed at the ends and tacked along the gunwales.  Then tighten it by shrinking and finally give it at least three coats of a mixture of varnish and paint.  This will doubtless stop the leaking entirely and will add but little to either the weight or cost.

Rig the boat with wooden or iron row locks (B, B, Fig. 5), preferably iron, and light oars.  You may put in

[Illustration:  Off for a Hunt]

several extra thwarts or cross-sticks, fore and aft, and make a movable seat (A, Fig. 5.) With this you will doubtless find your boat so satisfactory that you will make no more changes.

For carrying the boat it is convenient to make a sort of short yoke (C, Fig. 5), which brings all the weight upon the shoulders; and thus lightens the labor and makes it very handy to carry.

** To Hang Heavy Things on a Nail [323]

Boys will find many places around

[Illustration:  Double Nails]

the house, where a hook to hang things on will be a great convenience.  Instead of buying hooks use wire nails, and if driven as shown in the cut, they will support very heavy weights.  Drive the lower nail first.

** A Home-Made Elderberry Huller [324]

As we had only one day to pick elderberries, we wanted to get as many of them as we could in that time.  We could pick them faster than they could

[Illustration:  Details of the Elderberry Huller]