It consisted of a pair of
large barrel staves, hollow side up and connected with two short boards,
as in Fig. 233. Bill said it was a summer toboggan, to be used on grass
instead of snow. I had never heard of such an affair, and, of course, had
to have a demonstration. Bill went to the top of the hill and from there
coasted down the grassy slope in fine style.
[Illustration: Fig. 233. The Summer Toboggan.]
[Illustration: Fig. 234. Coasting in Summer.]
Tailless Kites.
"There's a better place over on the other side of the hill," he said, and
led the way to his favorite coasting spot. But here our attention was
diverted from coasting by the curious sight of a full-grown man flying a
kite. We found out afterward that he was a Professor Keeler, who had made
a great scientific study of kites. Professor Keeler was very affable, and
we soon got acquainted with him. His kite was way up in the air, almost
out of sight, and was pulling like everything. Neither Bill nor I could
hold it long. But the most remarkable part of it all to me was the fact
that the kite had no tail. I had heard of tailless kites made like a box,
but this one appeared to be very much like the kites I had made in my
younger days, and I well knew the importance of a long tail to keep such a
kite steady.
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