the ship, with its swollen side sunk between them, that I could not have
measured it in this manner. Even though I might have marked a rod on a
line with its top, I could not have planted the other end so as to be on
a level with its base.

There seemed no other way to get at the thing than by inserting a
straight stick into the hole, and thus measure the diameter; nor did I
trouble myself about any other, as this appeared to be the best plan I
could adopt.

Where was I to find my stick--my measuring-rule? That is your question,
is it not?

It is easily answered. The deal board that had formed part of the
biscuit-box would supply me with the material, and out of that I could
soon make one. No sooner thought of than I set about it.

The board was but a little over two feet in length, and of course not
long enough to reach across the great cask, which at its thickest part
appeared four or five. But a very little ingenuity sufficed to overcome
this obstacle. I should only have to split off three thin pieces, and
by splicing their ends together, I should get a stick of length
sufficient.

I did so. Fortunately, the deal was cut nicely with the grain of the
wood; and in splitting it, I guided the blade of my knife so as not to
let it run out at the edges.

I succeeded in getting three pieces of the thickness I wanted; and,
after shaving off their angles, and making them clean and trim, I cut
their ends with a slant for the splice.

The next thing was to obtain two pieces of string, and this was the
easiest thing in the world. I wore upon my feet a pair of little
"buskins" that laced up to the very ankle. The laces were thongs of
calfskin, each of them a full yard long. They were just the thing; and,
drawing them out of the holes, I completed the splicing, and now held in
my hands a straight stick full five feet in length--quite long enough, I
conceived, to reach across the thickest part of the butt, and slender
enough to go into the hole--which I had already widened a little to
receive it.

"So far good," thought I; "I shall now insert the measuring-stick, and
find my diameter."

I rose to my feet to carry out this design, but I need not describe the
mortification I felt on perceiving that the first of these operations,
which would appear to be the simplest of all, could not be performed.
At the first trial I saw that it was quite impossible. It was not
because the hole was too small, or the stick to