"I've heard that they frequently have to stop and shovel it
off," answered Jack.

As we got farther among the sand dunes we found them all
sizes and shapes, though usually circular, and from fifteen to
forty feet high. Of course the surface of the county was very
irregular, and there would be places here and there where the
grass had obtained a little footing and the sand had not drifted
up. There were also some hills which seemed to be independent of
the sand piles.

We stopped for noon on a little flat where there was some
struggling grass, This flat ran off to the north, and narrowed
into a small valley through which in the spring probably a little
water flowed. We had finished dinner when we noticed a flock of
big birds circling about the little valley, and, on looking
closer, saw that some of them were on the ground.

"They are sand-hill cranes," said Jack. "I've seen them in
Dakota, but this must be their home."

They were immense birds, white and gray, and with very long
legs. Jack took his rifle and tried to creep up on them, but they
were too shy, and soared away to the south.

We soon passed the first station on the railroad, called
Crookston. The telegraph-operator came out and looked at us,
admitted that it was a sandy neighborhood, and went back in. We
toiled on without any incident of note during the whole