Homesteading 



an acre. Tom and I discussed the proposition 

 carefully ; we had already broken about fifteen 

 acres on Tom's homestead, and if we could get 

 thirty-five more broken we should have a nice 

 field. It would certainly make a hole in our 

 remaining capital, but the idea was very tempt- 

 ing, and at length we decided that if Lars would 

 do it for three and a quarter dollars an acre we 

 would let him. 



So we put the proposition to our neighbour, 

 and he accepting, we returned Mike to his owner 

 with many thanks. 



We decided now to put in two or three days 

 building the shack, and as a preliminary to fire- 

 guard the site, including the little bluff, and all 

 our belongings. 



For this purpose we ploughed half a dozen 

 furrows all round, and leaving an intervening 

 space equal in width to the furrows, ploughed 

 the same number of furrows outside, and finally 

 burnt off the intervening grass carefully. This 

 is practically the regulation fireguard, and for 

 lack of it many a settler has been burnt out. ♦ 



We were both fair amateur carpenters, and 

 having taken notice how neighbouring shacks 

 were put together, had no great difficulty in 

 constructing a frame together and covering it with 

 board. 



84 



