Homesteading 



As we drew up at the stable, the dog, who had 

 been with us, bounded away to meet two figures 

 advancing across the grey prairie. 



" Bert and Fred," said Bob. " They are friends 

 of ours who often come over on Simday," and 

 after introducing us we all went into the house, 

 where a good meal was soon ready. 



After doing justice to this, and lending a hand 

 to clear away the wreck of it, pipes were lighted, 

 and as we sat round the stove in the middle of 

 the room, conversation became general. 



We learnt that Bert, a very tall figure, after 

 some experience of stock and share business in 

 London, had spent some years in British Columbia, 

 and finding the dollars far from plentiful there, 

 had come to try his fortune on the prairie. Like 

 our hosts, he had known English public-school 

 life. Fred, a somewhat shorter but very strongly 

 built man, hailed from Staffordshire, but had 

 spent many years in the United States, and had 

 had many interesting experiences before coming 

 to the prairie. 



The talk reviewed the Old land and the New, 

 and, for oiu* benefit, the prospects of this par- 

 ticular district; and then we had a gramophone 

 recital, and Harry gave us one or two violin 

 solos with excellent feeling. We learnt that 

 both Bert and Fred played on instruments, but 



62 



