The wall by the orchard

Ellis picked up a slab no wider than his hand and balanced it briefly on his fingertips. He rotated it until its uneven underside settled into the hollow below. Along the ground, he had arranged the remaining stones in shallow rows, the smallest near his boots and the broadest beside the unfinished end. After every third course, he stretched a cord between two posts, crouched to sight along it and lifted out any stone that interrupted the line. His progress seemed slow, yet each section held firm when he pressed against it.

Select one word or phrase that presents Ellis as practically skilled and one word or phrase that presents him as methodical. Explain what each of your selections suggests about the way he works.