! 



Locating a Homestead 



the lines, drove them to the wagon, where they 

 .stepped into their places with ease. Chains 

 were hooked on, our young friend sprang up on 

 the load, some one handed him a whip, and, 

 with a cheery " Get up, boys! " the great beasts 

 leaned against their collars, something went 

 " snap," and the big white bull on the off side 

 went down on his knees. 



" Pretty rotten harness that ! " said a bystander. 



" Want some buffalo-hide stuff for that pair," 

 remarked another. 



However, the damage was soon repaired, and 

 once more the chains tightened ; there was a 

 cut or two with the whip, a straining of the great 

 flanks, and the front wheels rose an inch or two, 

 and then ploughed through the black, sticky mud 

 until they reached a firmer piece of road, where, in 

 answer to a loud " Whoa ! " the animals stopped. 



" It strikes me we shall do well to have that 

 pair, if our young friend proves reasonable,'* 

 said I to Tom. 



" They remind me,'* said he, " of prints I 

 have seen in which a certain personage is de- 

 picted with horns and cloven hoofs." 



" Oh ! get out, Tom," I returned ; " those poor 

 brutes will teach you a lesson of patient endur- 

 ance if you treat 'em right. Oxen have done 

 great things for this country and poor settlers 



43 



