The children were playing on the floor at
that side of the house where it was least
hot. Catherine poured out three bowls of
milk, and cut some bread, meanwhile telling
Kitty how to feed the baby.

"She's a sensible thing, is the little
daughter," said Catherine, as she tied on
her sunbonnet and packed a little basket
with things from the cupboard. She kissed
the babies tenderly, flung her hoe -- her
only weapon of defence -- over her shoulder,
and the two started off.

They did not speak, for their throats were
soon too parched. The prairie was burned
brown with the sun; the grasses curled as
if they had been on a gridiron. A strong
wind was blowing; but it brought no com-
fort, for it was heavy with a scorching heat.
The skin smarted and blistered under it, and
the eyes felt as if they were filled with sand.
The sun seemed to swing but a little way
above the earth, and though the sky was
intensest blue, around about this burning
ball there was a halo of copper, as if the
very ether were being consumed in yellow
fire.

Waite put some big burdock-leaves on