Hay-time 



this design, and found the three cousins as usual 

 very pleased to see me. I told them how we 

 were fixed, and we soon formed a plan of action. 

 They pointed out that there were yet some ten 

 days before they would begin cutting, during 

 which they could spare a team, and one of them 

 \^ould go over with their discs and work on our 

 breaking. They would also lend us Mike again, 

 to strengthen our ox team. This was excellent, 

 and the handy, quiet Harry asked if we had any 

 lumber left over from our shack — Tom's shack ; 

 and finding we had a few boards, suggested that 

 perhaps they could find a few more about, and, 

 with the aid of some poles, make a hay-rack for 

 our wagon, thus giving us two wagons for the 

 work. They would also go with their mower and 

 rake to my homestead, and help us to put up as 

 much hay as we wanted for the winter. 



In return we imdertook to work with them 

 during the hay -time, and as they had many animals 

 which would need much hay, this might mean 

 two or three weeks' work, or more, if the weathei 

 were not good. 



Leading Mike, I set out on my return to Tom's 

 homestead in good spirits. 



Following the recent rains the prairie was now 

 gay with flowers — ^harebells, great daisies, and 

 what the prairie-folk call " brown-eyed Susans," 



93 



