“Don’t forget always to ask everyone if they have seen your horses whenever they are out on the prairie: it is one of the golden rules of prairie life,” said Ezra, tapping her chin. “But he wouldn’t have known Queen Katharine and Rebel even if he did happen to meet them,” objected Olive. “How could he know one pair of strange horses from another?” “Bless your sweet eyes, Owen knows every horse and cow belonging to his neighbours for a radius of ten miles from his house, at the very least. Telling a neighbour where his cattle are, is the only rule of politeness known to many of them, and they are punctilious about it,” said Ezra laughing. “I wish I had known that, because I found him deficient in many of the rules I have been taught,” said Olive. “Possibly he found me as lacking, according to his estimate.” Ezra did not go out to hunt for the horses the next morning as he had intended. Other work, which seemed more important, turned up for him. Brother Wright came that same evening to arrange about it. “Good evening, friends,” he said. “I trust you are both rested after yesterday. It was a hard day and a harder night. Brother Ezra, you did splendidly.” “We were much alarmed for the safety of Perfection City: I don’t think it is ever likely to be in greater danger,” said Ezra. “No, I suppose, not from the outside,” said Wright. “And we are not likely to be set on fire from the inside, are we?” observed Ezra with a laugh. “Accidents may happen,” said Olive. “Even in the best regulated communities,” added Brother Wright. “However, what I came to talk about was the future, and not the past. We’ve got two good loads of corn ready, it ought to be sold at once in Mapleton. We’ll get top price. I stepped into Madame’s as I came along, and she agreed with me. We must sell at once. Brother Dummy has got his waggon loaded up ready to start. It is a marvel how much that man does get through in the way of work. Well, the question is, who will go with the corn? Brother Dummy must drive his own team, because no other man could manage that black horse for half an hour. Biting Bill would kick the waggon into match-wood in two minutes, if any of us attempted to touch his reins. I wonder whether it is the absolutely silent driving which cows him? You are out and out the best one for attending to business of any here. Madame thinks it would be well for you to go, and so do I.” “I am quite ready,” replied Ezra. “But my horses are both out on the prairie. I turned them loose after the fire to let them run off to the Creek, as I had no time to put them up and feed them. To-day I did not feel able to hunt after them.” “Well, suppose you take my team, and I will find your horses for you to-morrow. Will that do?” “All right, then I’ll go to Mapleton.” “The corn is already shucked, it won’t take half an hour to load up. You and I will do it while the horses are feeding. You ought to get off by six, I will feed the horses at five.”