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           Hehadhisleatherwrist-bandsontosoakupthesweatfromhisarms,butthedelicatehandswereungloved,grippingtheaxehandlelightlyandwithexquisitelydirectedskill.

           Meggiecroucheddownbesidehisdiscardedshirtandundervesttowatch,awed.Threespareaxeswerelyingnearby,foreucalyptuswoodbluntedthesharpestaxeinnotimeatall.Shegraspedonebyitshandleanddraggeditontoherknees,wishingshecouldchopwoodlikeFrank.Theaxewassoheavyshecouldhardlyliftit.Colonialaxeshadonlyoneblade,honedtohair-splittingsharpness,fordouble-bladedaxesweretoolightforeucalyptus.Thebackoftheaxeheadwasaninchthickandweighted,thehandlepassingthroughit,firmlyanchoredwithsmallbitsofextrawood.Alooseaxeheadcouldcomeoffinmidswing,snapthroughtheairashardandfastasacannonballandkillsomeone.

           Frankwascuttingalmostinstinctivelyinthefast-fadinglight;Meggiedodgedthechipswiththeeaseoflongpracticeandwaitedpatientlyforhimtospyher.Thelogwashalfsevered,andheturnedhimselftheoppositeway,gasping;thenheswungtheaxeupagain,andbegantocutthesecondside.Itwasadeep,narrowgap,toconservewoodandhastentheprocess;asheworkedtowardthecenterofthelogtheaxeheaddisappearedentirelyinsidethecut,andthebigwedgesofwoodflewoutcloserandclosertohisbody.Heignoredthem,choppingevenfaster.