"The Barr Colony community hospital is slowly taking shape. It is a bell tent. A big, handsome doctor with splendid eyes, but with a Jewish cast of face, is in charge. I did wonder for a minute whether it mightn't be worth my while to contract some sort of mild, lingering illness, so that I might become a hospital patient, and enjoy a bit of comfort, and a square meal or two; but, after noticing a fearful-looking bucksaw, and an axe, leaning up against the tent, and also happening to catch a side-view of a nurse's face, I have changed my mind, and am now, I'm very pleased to say, really feeling magnificently fit. "We are starting out on our two-hundred-mile trek to-morrow morning, perhaps--D.V., as you sometimes say. "Mother, dear! What do you think! I HAVE GOT MY LAND; a charming place--at least I think so. Please tell dad, tactfully, that I expect to run short of money soon. "And now for bed. More next time. Your affectionate son, Bertie." * * * * * * * * Next morning, over coffee and bacon, cooked by Sam on a small rectangular tin stove, the two young men discussed their arrangements for the immediate future. Between a mouthful of solids, and a big gulp of steaming coffee, Sam said: "We've got to 'ave 'ay an' oats fer them 'orses on this trek of ourn." "Not to mention tucker for ourselves," added Bert thoughtfully, as he veneered a chunk of bread with about a quarter of a pound of butter; "besides, something to work the land with, I suppose. Ranching for me, though." "Rarnchin'--'ell!" scoffed Sam. "You wait till yer knows somethink abaht 'orses, first. Why, I don't suppose yer knows 'ow many young 'uns an 'orse 'as at a litter, do yer?" "Why are you always so foolishly analytical? What the dickens does it matter how many they have at a litter! The more the merrier, I say. With polo ponies at two hundred pounds a head; and--" "Ever kep' rabbits?" "No." "White mouses?" "No." "Pidgins?" "Good Lord, no!" "Well, yer don't know nothink. Yore edgucation's a fraud. Wot's the good of Lating, an' law, an' matthewmaticks, an' all that sort of stuff nah? Like I told my ole man when 'e was goin' to 'ave me edgucated: 'No charnce, guv'ner,' I says; 'I don't want ter be no swell, an' ride abaht in carriages over the skelingtons of the bloomin' poor. No,' I says, 'I----'" "You infernal blithering idiot! Even though you can't talk like a gentleman, do for heaven's sake try to reason like one. Give me a cigarette." Sam threw a packet of Gold Flakes across to his partner, afterwards taking and lighting one himself. "Fed the 'orses this mornin'?" he asked. "No." "Watered 'em?" "No." "Bin ter see if they've 'opped it?" "No." "Where did yer get this rarnchin' idea from?" "It told you all about it in the government pamphlet Barr sent to me."