It did not take us long to get up to the two boys, who had gone on
first, and we were glad to find that the poor bird had made up its mind
to its fate, and kept up well with the pace of the bulls.

When we got in sight of home, my wife and Ernest, who had been on the
look out for us, came forth to meet us; and the strange way in which we
brought home our new prize made them laugh. I need not say that we took
great care of it.

The next day we built it a house, with a space in front for it to walk
up and down, round which were put rails, so that it could not get out.
At first it was shy, and would not take any food, so that we had to
force some balls of maize down its throat; but in a short time it took
grain from the hands of my wife, and soon grew quite tame.

The boys now set to work to break it in for use. They taught it first
to bear them on its back. Then they put a pair of string reins in its
mouth, and made it turn which way they chose to pull, and to walk, or
run, or stand still, as it was bid. Thus, in a month from the time we
caught it, the boys made it take them on its back to and from the Farm
or The Nest, in less than half the time an ox would go; so that it came
to be the best steed we had to ride on.

The eggs we found in the nest were put in a warm dry place, and though
we scarce thought our care would bring live birds out of the shells, we
had the joy to hatch three of them, and this led us to hope that we
should ere long have a steed for each of our sons.

My work at this time was by no means light. Our hats and caps were all