hough it was still the month of March, the early spring of that year
enabled the young pioneers to begin at once active preparations for
planting corn, potatoes, beans and squashes. The brush cut during the
winter was so dry that it burned readily, and the green brush was easily
disposed of also, when piled upon the hot fires the dry wood made. In
this way the natural clearing was soon rid of the scattered undergrowth
upon it.

In a week or two the boys were ready to put the seed into the ground,
digging up a space a foot square wherever they planted a hill of beans,
corn, potatoes or squashes. It was slow work, nevertheless, and the
sturdy, youthful farmers were obliged to toil early and late.

The coming of Indians frequently interrupted the boys at their work, and
they came at last to continue their labor after greeting their visitors,
unless the latter wished to trade. This the redmen liked none too well.
They seemed to think their Paleface neighbors were devoting too much time
to agricultural pursuits, and they feared and hated any and all things
which threatened to turn their forests into farm lands. But Ree and John
agreed that, since they had bought the land of the Indians, they might as
well give the former owners to understand, first and last, that they
meant to do with it as they liked.

Big Buffalo was among a party which stopped at the cabin one day. He
refused food and made himself generally disagreeable. The boys, however,
ignored his ill humor and by paying no attention to him, showed that they
neither cared for his hatred nor feared him, even though they knew there
was murder in his heart.

Frequently strange Indians were among those who called and they asked the
boys to visit their towns, some of which were not many miles away, to
trade. As all of those Indians traversed the Portage trail or path, the
boys were reminded almost daily of the desirability of securing land for
a trading post, at the junction of the trail and the river. As they
talked the matter over and looked into the future, more and more did they
regret that the violent conduct of Big Buffalo had prevented their
prolonging their bargaining with Capt. Pipe on the occasion of their last
visit to him.

About this time, also, another reason arose for the two friends wishing
to visit Capt. Pipe again. It was the discovery that he had secured some
horses. During the winter he had had none of which the boys knew. Now,
they reasoned, if th