Chapter 16
“Mr. Carver seems a good man,” Robert said as he watched Nathaniel expertly place the final hoop around the staves of a small cask.
“Yes, he is, the best,” Nathaniel replied smiling, still concentrating on his task. “Here, this is the hardest part.” Nathaniel finished the hooping process, placing a hoop around the head and releasing the winch, while Robert watched intently.
“Now, you try and I will guide you.”
Robert assembled the staves for another small cask on one of the long worktables in the shop. Nathaniel handed him the hoops that would bind the staves in place. There were four for a cask of that size.
“Carefully put the staves inside the two quarter hoops.” Robert did so. “Then we fire the cask on the inside.”
Nathaniel watched as his apprentice applied the heat.
