“Hold on, there,” protested his friend; “you can’t do that with chalk.  Caleb said the Injuns used a burnt stick.  You hain’t got no right to use chalk.  ‘You might as well hire a carpenter.’”

“Oh, you go on.  You hunt for a burnt stick, and if you don’t find one bring me the shears instead.”

Thus, with many consultations of Caleb’s draft, the cutting-out was done—­really a very simple matter.  Then the patching was to be considered.

Pack-thread, needles and very l-o-n-g stitches were used, but the work went slowly on.  All the spare time of one day was given to patching.  Sam, of course, kept up a patter of characteristic remarks to the piece he was sewing.  Yan sewed in serious silence.  At first Sam’s were put on better, but Yan learned fast and at length did by far the better sewing.

[Illustration:  Decoration of Black Bull’s Teepee:  (Two Examples of Doors)]

[Illustration:  THUNDER BULL’S TEEPEE]

  Notes on Making Teepee: 

  The slimmer the poles are at the top where they cross the smaller
  the opening in the canvas and the less danger of rain coming in.

In regions where there is much rain it is well to cut the projecting poles very short and put over them a “storm cap,” “bull boat” or “shield” made of canvas on a rod bent in a three-foot circle.  This device was used by the Mandans over the smoke-hole of their lodges during the heavy rains.

That night the boys were showing their handiwork to the hired hands.  Si Lee, a middle-aged man with a vast waistband, after looking on with ill-concealed but good-natured scorn, said: 

“Why didn’t ye put the patches inside?”

“Didn’t think of it,” was Yan’s answer.

“Coz we’re goin’ to live inside, an’ need the room,” said Sam.

“Why did ye make ten stitches in going round that hole; ye could just as easy have done it in four,” and Si sniffed as he pointed to great, ungainly stitches an inch long.  “I call that waste labour.”

“Now see here,” blurted Sam, “if you don’t like our work let’s see you do it better.  There’s lots to do yet.”

“Where?”

“Oh, ask Yan.  He’s bossin’ the job.  Old Caleb wouldn’t let me in.  It just broke my heart.  I sobbed all the way home, didn’t I, Yan?

“There’s the smoke-flaps to stitch on and hem, and the pocket at the top of the flaps—­and—­I—­suppose,” Yan added, as a feeler, “it—­would—­be—­better—­if—­hemmed—­all—­around.”

“Now, I tell ye what I’ll do.  If you boys’ll go to the ‘Corner’ to-night and get my boots that the cobbler’s fixing, I’ll sew on the smoke-flaps.”

“I’ll take that offer,” said Yan; “and say, Si, it doesn’t really matter which is the outside.  You can turn the cover so the patches will be in.”

The boys got the money to pay for the boots, and after supper they set out on foot for the “Corner,” two miles away.