ther they be men or beasts."

Acting on this suggestion, with a laugh, the brothers leaned their guns
against the wall of the cavern and set about the preparation of
breakfast in good earnest.

Meanwhile George gravely assented to the wisdom of their decision, and
sat down to his morning pipe, while he questioned the brothers as to
their intentions.

They pointed out to him the spot where they thought of commencing
agricultural operations and the site of their future dwelling--close,
they said, to the cave, because that would be conveniently near the
river, which would be handy for both washing, drinking, and boiling
purposes.

"That's true--wery true," said George, "but it seems to me you run a
risk of bein' washed away, house and all, if you fix the site so low
down, for I've heard say there are floods in these parts now and again."

"Oh, no fear of that!" said Robert Skyd, who was the quietest of the
three brothers; "don't you see the foundation of our future house is at
least ten feet above the highest point to which the river seems to have
risen in times past?"

"Ah, just so," responded George, with the air of a man not convinced.

"Besides," added John Skyd, lifting the iron pot off the fire and
setting it down, "I suppose that floods are not frequent, so we don't
need to trouble ourselves about 'em.--Come, Dally, you'll join us?"

"No, thank 'ee. Much obleeged all the same, but I've got to prepare
breakfast for our own party.--Goin' to begin plantin' soon?"

"As soon as ever we can get the soil broken up," replied Dobson.

"Studied farmin'?" inquired George.

"Not much, but we flatter ourselves that what we do know will be of some
service to us," said John.

Dally made no reply, but he greatly doubted in his own mind the capacity
of the brothers for the line of life they had chosen.

His judgment in this respect was proved correct a week later, when he
and Edwin Brook had occasion to visit the brothers, whom they found hard
at work ploughing and sowing.

"Come, this looks business-like!" exclaimed Brook heartily, as he shook
hands with the brothers; "you've evidently not been idle. I have just
come to ask a favour of you, gentlemen."

"We shall grant it with pleasure, if within our powers," said Robert
Skyd, who leaned on a spade with which he had been filling in a trench
of about two feet deep.

"It is, that you will do me and Mrs Brook the pleasure of coming over
to our location this after