A Shepherd's Life

notable sheep-dogs-Jack, the adder-killer-Sitting on an adder-Rou

o go with the flock very early in life, when he was no more than ten to twelve years of age. Caleb remembered being put in charge of his father's flock at the tender age of six. It was a ne

his very small boy, Caleb, and placing him with the sheep told him they were now in his charge; that he was not to lose sight of them, and at the same time not to run about among the furze-bushes for fear of treading on an adder. By and by the sheep began straying off among the furze-bushes, and no sooner would they disappear from sight than he imagined they were lost for ever, or would be unless he quickly foun

nd let the little fellow run after him, stumbling and falling and picking himself up again and running on. And by and by one of the women in the

nswered Isaac prou

d talk to them, and sing old songs and ballads he had learnt in his young years-"Down in the Village," "The Days of Queen Elizabeth," "The Blacksmi

sidered him a "tarrable good dog." He was rather short-haired, like the old Welsh sheepdog once common in Wiltshire, but entirely black instead of the usual colour-blue with a sprinkling of black spots. This dog had an intense hatred of adders and never failed to kill every one he discovered. At the same time he knew that they were dangerous enemies to tackle, and on catching sight of one his hair would instantly bristle up, and he wou

come upon them with disconcerting suddenness. On this occasion just where the boys had been playing there was a low, stout furze-bush, so dense and flat-topped that one could use it as a seat, and his mother taking off and folding her shawl placed it on the bush, and sat down on it to rest herself after her long walk. "I can see her now," said Caleb, "sitting on that furze-bush, in her smock and leggings, with a big hat like a man's on her head-for that's

ood all-round dog, but had originally been trained for the road, and one of the shepherd's

he reason of the boys being with the flock. As the flock on the down was feeding quietly the boys determined to go to the road to watch the sheep and men pass, and arriving at the roadside they saw that the dogs were too tired to work and the men were getting on with great difficulty. One of them, looking intently at Rough, asked if she would work. "Oh, yes, she'll work," said the boy proud

delightedly. "She's better for me on the road

't sell her,

e 'ee a sovran and this young dog, an' he'l

Caleb, distressed at t

ittle way on the road wi

d out to Rough, and at once when her little master had given the order she dashed barking into the midst of the mass of sheep and drove them furiously to the side from end to

is sovereign once more and t

ed, almost in tears. "

nothing. He'll thin

whippings he had experienced in the past he had an uncomfortable sensation about his back. "No

to tease his wife because of the dog's intense devotion to her; and she, being without a sense of humour and half thinking that he meant it, wou

n coming at a swinging pace along the road. He was in shirt-sleeves, barefooted, and wore a straw hat without a rim. Rough eyed the strange being's approach with suspicion, and going to her mistress placed hersel

bite, missus?

e. "I won't answer for h

the man tried to "hurt mother," and agreed that as soon as Rough had got her teeth in his leg they would attack him about the head with the bill-hoo

sheep, and to feed it during the day were obliged to catch a ewe with milk. The lamb trotted at Caleb's heels like a dog, and one day when it was hungry and crying to be fed, when Rough happened to be sitting on her haunches close by, it occurred to him that Rough's milk might serve as well as a sheep's. The lamb was