the boys, and a cabin built there, too. The
cabin in the timber need not be built until late in the autumn; that
claim could be taken up by Mr. Howell, or by Mr. Bryant; by and by they
would draw lots to decide which. Before sundown that night, they had
staked out the corners of the one hundred and sixty acre lot of
farming land, on which the party had arrived in the morning.

It was dark before they returned from looking over the timber land in
the bend of the North Fork of the Republican.

CHAPTER X.

DRAWING THE FIRST FURROW.

The good-natured Younkins was on hand bright and early the next
morning, to show the new settlers where to cut the first furrow on the
land which they had determined to plough. Having decided to take the
northwest corner of the quarter-section selected, it was easy to find
the stake set at the corner. Then, having drawn an imaginary line from
the stake to that which was set in the southwest corner, the tall
Charlie standing where he could he used as a sign for said landmark,
his father and his uncle, assisted by Younkins, and followed by the
two other boys, set the big breaking-plough as near that line as
possible. The four yoke of oxen stood obediently in line. Mr. Howell
firmly held the plough-handles; Younkins drove the two forward yoke of
cattle, and Mr. Bryant the second two; and the two younger boys stood
ready to hurrah as soon as the word was given to start. It was an
impressive moment to the youngsters.

"Gee up!" shouted Younkins, as mildly as if the oxen were petted
children. The long train moved; the sharp nose of the plough cut into
the virgin turf, turning over a broad sod, about five inches thick;
and then the plough swept onward toward the point where Charlie stood
waving his red handkerchief in the air. Sandy seized a huge piece of
the freshly-turned sod, and swinging it over his head with his strong
young arms, he cried, "Three cheers for the first sod of Bleeding
Kansas! 'Rah! 'Rah! 'Rah!" The farming of the boy settlers had begun.

Charlie, at his distant post on the other side of the creek, saw the
beginning of things, and sent back an answering cheer to the two
boys who were dancing around the massive and slow-moving team of
cattle. The men smiled at the enthusiasm of the youngsters, but in
their hearts the two new settlers felt that this was, after all, an
event of much significance. The green turf now being turned over was
disturbed by ploughshare for the