angle on
each aide," suggested James. "That would leave a sort of wing effect
like a hall porter's chair, only not so high, and at the same time it
would make an arm to rest your elbow on. How does that strike you ?"

Roger nodded. "It hits me all right. I was thinking of a curve
instead of a right angle, but the right angle will be easier to make.
Go ahead."

So the right angle was decided on and James proceeded to cut it.

Roger, meanwhile, had been sorting out the wood he needed for a chair
of another pattern.

"I wish Dorothy would heave in sight," he growled as he piled some half
inch thick strips in one heap. "She told me she'd tell me all she knew
about chair legs when I reached this stage of proceedings."

"She will," answered a cheerful voice, and gray-eyed Dorothy appeared
from the house. "I felt in my bones that you'd be beginning this lot
this afternoon, so I ambled over to see if I could help in any way."

"Keep right on ambling till you reach this end of the platform and tell
me whether you said that chair legs could be made of this stripping or
whether I'll have to get solid pieces, square-ended, you know, joist or
scantling or whatever it's called."

"Strips will do, only you'll have to use two for each leg. Nail them
together at right angles. It will make a two-sided leg, but it will be
plenty strong enough, though perhaps not truly handsome."

"If handsomeness means solidity--no. Still, they'll do. Can you give
me the lengths for these strips?" and Roger waved his saw at his cousin
as if he were so impatient to begin that he could not wait to study out
the lengths for himself.

"For the one I made for the attic," replied his cousin, "I cut four
strips each two inches wide and twenty-one inches long for the front
legs and four strips each two inches wide and twenty-five inches long
for the back legs. Then there were two two-inch strips seventeen
inches long to go under the seat to strengthen it front and back, and
two two-inch strips each thirteen inches long to go under the seat and
strengthen it on the sides. That's all the stock you need except the
box."

"I suppose you've got a particular box in mind to fit those sizes."

"Those sizes fit the box, rather. Yes, I got a grocery box that was
about eighteen inches long and thirteen wide and eleven deep. I saw
one here just like it before I gave you those measurements, so you can
go ahead sawing while I pull off one side of th