work in making the people he found at the houses understand what
he wanted. There Were many Norwegians, and the third day we
passed through a large colony of Russians, saw a few Finns, and
heard of some Icelanders who lived around on the other side of a
lake.

"It wouldn't surprise me," said Ollie one day, "to find the
man in the moon living here in a sod house."

Perhaps a majority--certainly a great many--of all these
people lived in houses of this kind. Ollie had never seen
anything of the sort before, and he became greatly interested in
them. The second day we camped near one for dinner.

"You see," said Jack, "a man gets a farm, takes half his
front yard and builds a house with it. He gains space, though,
because the place he peels in the yard will do for flowerbeds,
and the roof and sides of his house are excellent places to grow
radishes, beets, and similar vegetables."

"Why not other things besides radishes and beets?" asked
Ollie.

"Oh, other things would grow all right, but radishes and
beets seem to be the natural things for sod-house growing. You
can take hold of the lower end and pull 'em from the inside, you
know, Ollie."

"I don't believe it, Uncle Jack," said Ollie, stoutly. "Ask
the rancher," answered Jack. "If you're ever at dinner in a sod