Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-12-27

II don't think that 1 should do that"
Charley said; u can stick on pretty tight
ly, and" he had not time to finish his
sentence, for his horse suddenly seemed
to go down o II his head, and Charley was
sent flying two or three yards through
the air.
They soon crossed a little stream, run
ming east to fall into the main stream,
which formed the boundary of the prop
erty upon that side; and MIR. Hardy told
the boys that they We're now Upon their
w land. There was another hurrah,
and then. regardless of the risks of falls,
they dashed up TO the little clump of
trees which stood upon slightly rising
ground. Here they drew rein and look
cd round upon the country which was to
be their home. AS far as the eye could
reach IL flat plain. with a few slight ele-
vations and some half-dozen trees, cx-
tended. The grass was a brilliant green.
Objects could be seen moving in the dis
tancc. and Il short examination enabled
MIR. Hardy to decide that they We're os-
triches. to the delight of the boys, who
promised themselves an early hunt.
where have you fixed for the house,
papa Hubert asked.
"Thcre whore, those three trees are
growing upon the highest swell YOU can
see. about Il mile. and a half further. We
will 90 on at once; the others will see u.s.
Another ten minutes took them to the
place Mr.. Hardy had pointed out. and
the boys both agreed that nothing could
be better.
They now took off the saddles and bri-
dies from their horses. and allowed them
10 range as they pleased, knowing that
the native horses We're accustomed to he
let free. and that there was no fear of
their straying AWAY. Now. boys.' Mr..
Hardy said, ''let Ills begin by getting our
first dinner. You go straight down to
the water: / will keep to the right. You
take Dash, l will take Flirt.''
In another ten minutes the. reports of
the guns followed close upon each other.
and the boys had the satisfaction of
knocking down two geese and eight
ducks, which Dash brought ashore, be-
sides Others which escaped. In five min
utcs more they heard a shout from their
father, who had haggcd two more geese
and three ducks. That will do, boys;
we have plenty for the next day or two,
and we must not alarm them by too much
slaughter"
"Four geese and eleven ducks, papa. in
five minutes the boys said. when they
Joined MIR. Hardy: that is not bad shoot
ing to begin with
Not ut all. boys. What with wild
fowl and a%rmadillos, l think that nc a
pinch we could live for some time upon
the produce of the estate"
"1ou don't mean to sag, papa, that
they eat the armadillos?' Hubert said
with Il look of suspicion.
''Tley do, indeed, Hubert, and am
told that they are not at all bad eating.
Now let us go up to the rise again; our
carts must be nearly mp"
by the time they reached the trees they
found that the rest of tie cavalcade was
within Il quarter of Il mile, and in a few
minutes they came up.
The carts contained three small port
manteaus with the clothes of MIR. Hardy
and the boys. and n large case contain
ing the c%arbines. rifles and ammunition.
There was Il number of canisters with tea;
coffee. sugar, salt and pepper; a sack OF
flour: some cooking pots and frying pans,
tin plates. dishes and mugs: two sacks
of coal and a quantity of tircwood; shoy-
els. carpenters tools. Il sickle. the frame
work of Il hut with two doors and win
dows. three rolls of felt. Il couple of doz-
en- wooden posts. and two large coils of
iron wire. While the others were busy
unloading the German had cut some turf
and built a rough fireplace. and had soon
a bright fire blazing.
Shall we pluck the ducSs:' Charley
asked.
II reckon we can manage quicker than
that the Yankee said; and taking up
one of the ducks, lie cut off its head and
pinions: in another minute he had rough
ly skinned it. and threw it to the German.
who cut it up and put the pieces into the
frying pan. y similar process was per-
formed with the other ducks. IL little pep.
per and salt shaken over them. and in a
wonderfully short time the first batch
was ready. All drew round and sat down
on the grass; the tin plates were distrib.
uted. bur were only used hy MIR. Hardy
and his sons. the others simply s.kiu.
the joints into their hands AMI cutting
off pieces with their knives. The result !.
of this primitive cooking was pronounced
to be excellent. and after drinking a mu.
OF tea all felt ready for work.
90 he continued.)