The success was complete: in a couple of
hours' time the gap in the dam was filled up, and they had the
satisfaction of seeing the little stream overflowing its banks and
widening out above, while not a drop of water made its escape by
the old channel.
While this work had been going on the boys had been engaged up at
the house. The first thing was to make a churn, then to put up some
large closets and some more shelves, and the bullock carts had to
be sent to Rosario for a fresh supply of planks. This occupied them
until the dam was finished. The girls had tried their first
experiment at butter, and the result had been most satisfactory.
The dinners, too, were pronounced to be an immense improvement upon
the old state of things.
Soon after the dam was finished Hans, who had been too long a rover
to settle down, expressed his desire to leave; and as Mr. Hardy had
determined to lessen his establishment--as, now that the heavy work
was over, if was no longer necessary to keep so many hands--he
offered no objection to his leaving without the notice he had
agreed to give. Wages were high, and Mr. Hardy was desirous of
keeping his remaining capital in hand, in case of his sheep and
cattle being driven off by the Indians. One of the peons was also
discharged, and there remained only Lopez, Seth, Terence, and two
peons.
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