Book 1, Chapter 2 Home-Founding Summary

Hans Olsa, a man of large build surprisingly agile for his size, works to construct a sod house. Often he gazes towards the East for any sign of the lost wagon while his wife, Stzrine, works at a makeshift stove and their ten-year old daughter Sofie runs about. Syvert Ttznseten has finished his sod house a half mile across the prairie and smoke rolls from the stovepipe. Over a small hill to the North the two Solum boys are busy working to raise their own soddies. These few homes are the beginnings of the settlement on Spring Creek.

As Hans Olsa sits after dinner worrying over the fate of the lost companions, his wife suggests that her husband try to look for Per Hansa and his family. Stzrien tells her husband that at least they would be doing something...