you have not sharpened
it uniformly. You have cut away more at the corners than you have in the
middle, so that it is thicker in the middle. That is the way that boys
always sharpen wedges."

"Why do they?" asked Rollo.

"I suppose it is because it is easier to cut away at the edges, and so
they get more off there. Now you had better get your wedge as true, and
perfect, and smooth as you can, before you saw it off. It will be a
great deal pleasanter to work with a good wedge than with a poor one,
and so you had better take pains with it, and make as perfect a one as
you can, if you make any."

"But, Jonas," said Rollo, "I can smooth it and finish it, after I get it
sawed off."

"Not half as easily as you can now," said Jonas.

During all this time Jonas kept on with his own work; and now he said
no more, and seemed disposed to leave Rollo to his own decision.

Rollo walked slowly back to the shed. He longed to have his wedge done;
but then Jonas had often told him before, that if he was attempting to
make any thing, it was best to take pains with it, and make it as
complete and perfect as possible, and then he would prize it more, and
take more pleasure in it, when it was done. Rollo knew that this was
good advice, though, like almost all other boys, he was always in such a
hurry to finish any thing that he undertook, and to have it ready for
use, that he did not like to take the necessary pains.

On reflection, however, he concluded to take Jonas's advice; and he
accordingly began to smooth the sides of his wedge again with the
hatchet. He did it slowly and carefully; and after some time he found
that he had got the wedge into a much more perfect shape than before. He
then carried it to Jonas again.

Now Jonas approved it very much, but told him that he had better smooth
it a little more with his knife before sawing it off. Rollo did so; and
then he carried it back to the horse, and sawed it off at the right
distance, and it made an excellent wedge. The edges, at the head of the
wedge, were left somewhat rough by the saw. These, however, he trimmed
off with his knife, and then carried the wedge to Jonas.

"Very well," said Jonas; "now you want one more."

"One more?" said Rollo. "No, I want my beetle next."

"No," said Jonas, "one more wedge. Make all your wedges first."

"Why, Jonas, you see, if I make my beetle next, I can try it with this
wedge, and then I can make another, if I want it, afterwards."