Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1902-01-03
CHAPTER discontinued,

mails at night. We will put in five posts
each side, ut ton yards apart: that viii!
take eighteen posts. With the others We
can make a division to separate the sheep
from the cattle. Unless VIC do this some
of them may take it into their heads To
start off in the night aud return to their
old home"
\ spot was soon chosen between the
house and the stream. The distance was
soon measured and marked, and while
Hans carried down the heavy posts IL
by one on his shoulder the others Went
to work. The soil VAS soft and rich. and
the holes were dug to the required depth
In II shorter time than would have been
considered possible. The wire was
stretched and fastened, and before sun
set everything was in readiness. The AMI
mails were driven in. and the entrance.
which WAS narrow, was blocked up with
brn>hwood from the river. Then follow
ed another half-hour's work in getting up
n small shelter for the cases and some
of the fclting. by this time all were
really tired AM, were glad when Hans
summoned them 10 another meal, this
time off one OF the sheep. Then Mr..
Hardy and the boys, taking their mugs OF
tea. retired into the shelter prepared for
them and sat and talked over the events
of the day. and as TO the work for to-mor-
TOW. and then, wrapping themselves up in
their blankets. lay down to sleep. listen-
ing for somc time drcamily To the hum
OF conversation of the men. who We're
sitting smoking round the fire. and to the
hoarsc roar of the innumcrablc frogs in
the stream below.
In the morning they were up and
abroad with daylight, and Il cup of hot
coffee and Il piece of bread prepared
them for work. MIR. Hardy. his boys and
the Yankee set to upon the framework
of the w huts, while the others went
down to the stream and cut Il quantity of
long. coarse r%uslies, which they made
into bundles and brought up to the place
of the house in Il bullock cart. Tho
framework OF the huts, which were each
about fifteen feet square, WAS already fit
ted up and numbered: it took, therefore,
4 q very short time to erect, and when one
was done MIR. Hardy and the Yankee
set to to erect the other ut a distance
of from forty to fifty yards. while Char
ley and Hubert drove in the nails and
secured the work already done.
After dinner the whole party united
their labor to get one OF the huts finish
ed. The rods were split in two and We're
nailed at intervals across tho rafters of
the roof. Upon them the long rushcs
were laid, and over all the felt was nail
ed. The sides We're treated in the same
way, except hat the rushes were woven
in and out between the wattles, so as to
make quite Il close, compact wall, no felt
being nailed on ii. The other house was
treated in the same way, and it was not
until the third night that both huts were
finished ana ready for occupancy.
Mr.. Hardy and his sons then took pos
session of the one near the brow of the
hill. This was to be merely Il temporary
abode, to be removed when the house
was built. The men had that lower down,
n rather nearer to the cattle. Beds of
PUSHES were piled up in three corners,
and the boys thought they had never
passed such Il delicious night as their
first in their new house. The next day
Mr.. Hardy told his boys that they should
take Il holiday and ride over the place.
For the first three or four miles nothing
was seen save the .bouniless green plain,
extending in all directions; and then, up
on ascending IL slight rise, they saw in
the dip before them two ostriches. AL
most simultaneously the creatures caught
sight of their enemies, and went off at
a nrodirious ,otn foIIowe1 Inv rho dos
and horsa,lan For y, ,imn tbnir mace
>;,s so r.,se th,t NOV nmrs,ors uoinod
hr littl. moon tl,ont~ prasenily howny,r
the docs gained. ami bv ,bniy b,rl,i,n md
s]nnpninr imnc1ra tloir movements The
bows had drawn OFF their rcyolycrs whnn
their father cried "Don,t fro hovs,
Watch Iooez,"
Al This moment tho rou,ho too,, from
the pominol OF Ills saddle Two halls like
largo bullets. eonnerte1 With , ,onr cod
These he whirle,l ar,und his hend AMI
launched ibe1n nj the nearest ostri II,
g1hey strucl; lis leps. and twinea them.
selves round AMI round. ana in another
moment the bird was down in tho dnst.
Before I.opez could lean to The cround
the dogs had Killed If. and tle ruacho
pulled out the tail feathers and handel
them to Mr.. Hardy. us The flesh good -
Mr.. HARDY asked
NO. scn,r; we can eat it when there is
nothing else to be had. hut If is NOT rood.
II am rather glad the other cot AWAY