CHAPTER XVI 



A PRAIRIE FIRE 



One fine morning in April, with a gentle south 

 wind blowing and the sun shining brightly, we 

 came to the conclusion that the time had come 

 to prepare in earnest for the work of seeding. 

 With this end in view we were busy getting 

 ready a few stores, implements, and our simple 

 cooking utensils for the trip to Tom's homestead, 

 where we proposed to put in wheat. 



" There is a lot of smoke over there to the 

 south-east," remarked Tom as he came into 

 the shack, where I was packing the kettle and 

 frying-pan, with some cups and plates, into a small 

 packing-case. 



" Some of those fellows down there burning 

 off stubble, I suppose," was my answer. 



He helped me to finish packing the case, and 

 we both carried it out to place in the wagon, 

 and as we stepped out of the shack I was certainly 

 startled by the vision that met our eyes. In 

 the clear air, smoke flying before the wind or 



265 



