The Coming of Winter 



and were careful to have the runners on pieces 

 of timber before beginning to put on our loads. 

 The latitude being similar to that of Britain, 

 the days and nights are of course about the same 

 length, and they rapidly flew by. We did not 

 turn out too early, for it was useless in the dark ; 

 but when we did, one of us lit the fire and pre- 

 pared breakfast, while the other proceeded to 

 feed the stock and milk the cow. After break- 

 fast, clearing away and washing up and making 

 some preparations for dinner, one of us would, 

 mounted on Nancy, drive our little herd of live- 

 stock to water at the slough some half a mile away. 

 Here the ice on the water-holes had to be broken, 

 and when all had taken their daily drink, we 

 usually returned soberly and in single file to 

 stable. Sometimes, however, if the weather 

 happened to be pleasant, the young cow or the 

 foal would show an inclination for a gambol 

 or desire for more liberty, and need rounding up, 

 a proceeding which Nancy, having been a cattle 

 pony, well understood and seemed rather to enjoy, 

 even giving the straggler a sharp nip with her 

 teeth. While one of us watered the stock the 

 other usually cleaned out the stable, where the 

 animals were carefully secured again on their 

 arrive al. 

 It is, of course, important that the stock in a 



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