lf a mile distant, and which, it may be remembered, had
in a great measure been provided by the soldiers who had been lent to
assist them on their arrival. The piece of prairie land, on the side of
the stream next to the house, was put apart for an early crop of hay,
and as soon as they could, they intended to turn the cows into the bush,
that is, to feed in the forest, that they might obtain hay from the
other side, which had belonged to Malachi; but the prairie required to
be fenced in, and this was the job that they took in hand as soon as the
seeds were sown.

"I hope, when the Colonel comes over," observed Martin to Alfred, "that
we shall persuade him to let us have some soldiers this summer, for we
shall want them both for the fencing and getting the hay-crop in. Our
summers are not very long, and there is plenty to do."

"I think my father intends to make the request," replied Alfred.

"Ah, sir; he will now see the value of this bit of prairie land to a new
settler; instead of having to go in search of hay, as they must do at
the fort now, we have plenty for hay, and plenty for feed. So we are to
have some sheep, I find?"

"Yes, and I suppose we must build a winter-yard for them."

"To be sure we must, for the wolves are very partial to mutton; I think,
on the whole, that they like pigs better. I wish we could get the fence
up round the prairie, but that we never can do this year without we
have help from the fort."

"But will it be safe to turn the cows into the bush?"

"Oh yes, sir; they will not be hurt by any thing in the summer time;
sometimes we have trouble to find them again, but not when they have
calves; they are certain to come home every evening to their young
ones."

"We shall have quite a herd of cattle; eight calves and eight cows."

"We must only bring up the cow calves, unless your father intends to
have oxen for the yoke. We shall require them about the time they are
fit to break in, that is, in two or three years."

"Yes, we shall be great farmers by and by," replied Alfred with a sigh;
for at the moment he was thinking of Captain Lumley and his nautical
profession.

In the evening of the day on which this conversation took place, Malachi
Bone was requested to resume his observations upon the beavers.

"Well, ma'am, as I said the other night, as soon as they have dammed up
the river and made the lake, they then build their houses; and how they
manage to work under water and fix th