书城英文图书英国学生文学读本(套装共6册)
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第15章 THE LITTLE CARPENTER

1.When I was a boy my father gave me a box of tools.

2.Harry Winter,the carpenter,and I were great friends.His shop was quite close to our house,and he let me work there whenever I liked.Harry was always very kind,and taught me how to use my tools.

3.The summer holidays were to begin in a week,and we were going to the country.I was in a hurry to finish a box that I was making;for mother had said that I might put my clothes in it,and pack them myself.

4.Do you know how I made the box?Well,I shall tell you.I took a board,and cut off two long pieces,one for the back and the other for the front,then two shorter pieces for the ends.Then I nailed them together like this.

5.Then I cut two big pieces,one for the lidand the other for the bottom.When the bottom was nailed on it fitted very well.But the lid had not been cut quite straight,so it did not fit.

6.Harry was very busy that day.But when I called,“Harry,will you come and see my box?”he laid down his work and came over to my corner of the shop.“The lid is not quite straight,”I said,“but it will do well enough.”

7.“Arthur,”said Harry,“if it is not quite straight,it will not do well enough.WHAT‘S WORTH DOING IS WORTH DOING WELL.Come;I’llshow you how to put it right.”

8.It was very good of him,when he was so busy.He stood beside me until I had made the lid fit splendidly.It was a fine box then.

9.Harry gave me some paint,and I painted the box brown.Then he gave me some little brass nails,and I put my name on the top like this-10.The next day Harry put on a small lock,and the box was ready.