Locating a Homestead 



a few bits of grub, and chance sleeping under 

 a haystack, or a shakedown at some settlers', 

 who are mostly kind and hospitable, and gener- 

 ally loath to take payment, though by no means 

 invariably so." 



" However, the prospect of a hundred miles 

 or so of tramping in doubtful weather don't appeal 

 to me ; how about hiring a rig and driver, and 

 getting him to show us round ? " said Tom. 



"Many do that," I replied; " but finding just 

 what we want may or may not take us a good 

 many days, and this plan might easily cost us 

 fifty to a hundred dollars, or even more, which 

 perhaps we could save." 



" How would you work it, then ? " asked Tom. 



"If we mean working our homesteads our- 

 selves," I replied, " we must have a team of 

 some sort, and what's the matter with getting 

 one, with a wagon and tent, and doing a bit of 

 outfitting at the start ? We shall then be more 

 independent, and I figure it will be a cheaper 

 proposition." 



" Looks like my education is going to begin," 

 remarked Tom. 



At the Land Office we were shown maps, on 

 which were indicated large numbers of home- 

 steads open for entry, as it is called, in various 

 parts of the district ; and we made quite a long 



39 



