s master, and barking at the strangers, till a growl of rebuke from
his wiser companion brought him back to propriety. The shepherd took off
his broad-brimmed hat with all civility, and waited to be addressed. As
a man of intuition and reflection, he perfectly knew who he saw before
him, but it would have ill become one whose whole life had been spent in
restraining precipitation on the part of sheep and dogs to have evinced
undue curiosity.

The farmer introduced the strangers to him with a circular movement of
his hand, and the shepherd made several bows in succession, to show that
he perfectly understood who they were. "A fine flock, shepherd," said
Anton.

"Five hundred and five-and-twenty head," replied the shepherd.
"Eighty-six of them lambs, forty fat wethers." He looked round the flock
for a sheep, who deserved to be presented as a specimen, and suddenly
stooping, caught up one by the hind legs, and exhibited the wool. Karl
was intent in the examination. They were great strong sheep, well
fitted for the country, and far exceeded, both in condition and wool,
what might have been looked for. "If they get plenty of food, they give
wool," said the shepherd, proudly. "It is first-rate wool."

A yearling was at that moment thoughtless enough to cough. The shepherd
looked disapprovingly at it, and said, "The whole flock is perfectly
healthy."

"How long have you been in service here?" inquired Anton.

"Nine years," was the reply. "When I came, the creatures were like the
poodles in town, all bare behind. It has taken trouble to bring them
round. No one else has ever seen after them, but they have not fared the
worse for that. If I could only always have had pea-straw for them, and
this winter, common pease for the mothers."

"We must see what can be done," said Anton; "but we shall have to be
sparing in our management this winter."

"True," said the shepherd; "but, however, this is good pasture."

"I can well believe," said Anton, smiling, "that your sheep have nothing
to complain of. There are few fields here which your dog has not barked
over for years. I have been delighted to hear how bravely you have
defended the property of your new master. Have the people about often
behaved ill to you?"

"I can hardly say, sir," replied the shepherd; "men are every where
alike--they are not to be depended on. I would rather bring up a colly
than a man." He leaned upon his staff, and looked with satisfaction upon
his