r and another stray.

Link Ferris, in blank incredulity, stood gaping at the picture before
him--staring at the tireless swiftness of his dog in turning back and
rounding up a scattered flock which Ferris himself could not have
bunched in twenty times the space of minutes. Chum, he noted, did not
touch one of the foolish beasts. His bark and his zigzag dashes served
the purpose, without the aid of teeth or of actual contact.

Presently, as the dumbfounded man gazed, the last stray was added to
the milling, bleating bunch, and Chum was serenely trotting to and fro,
driving back such of the sheep as sought to break loose from the
huddle. Terrified and trembling, but mastered, the flock cowered
motionless. The work was done.

As in a dream Link tumbled toward the prisoners. His mind functioning
subconsciously, he took up his interrupted task of driving them to
pasture. The moment he succeeded in getting them into motion they broke
again. And again, like a furry whirlwind, Chum was encircling them;
chasing the strays into place. He saw, without being told, the course
his master was taking, and he drove his charges accordingly.

Thus, in far less time and in better order than ever before, the flock
reached the rickety gateway of the stone-strewn sheep pasture and
scuttled jostlingly in through it.

Link shut the gate after them. Then, still in a daze, he turned on the
dog.

"Chum," he said confusedly, "it don't make sense to me, not even yet. I
don't get the hang of it. But I know this much: I know you got ten
times the sense what I'VE got. Where you got it an' how you got it the
good Lord only knows. But you've got it. I--I was figgerin' on lickin'
you 'most to death, a few minutes back. Chum. Honest, I was. I'm clean
'shamed to look you in the face when I think of it. Say! Do me a favor,
Chum. If ever I lift hand to lick you, jes' bite me and give me
hydrophoby. For I'll sure be deservin' it. Now come on home!"

He patted the silken head of the jubilant dog as he talked, rumpling
the soft ears and stroking the long, blazed muzzle. He was sick at
heart at memory of his recent murderous rage at this wonder-comrade of
his.

Chum was exultantly happy. He had had a most exhilarating ten minutes.
The jolliest bit of fun he could remember in all his two years of life.
The sight of those queer sheep--yes, and the scent of them, especially
the scent--had done queer things to his brain; had aroused a million
sleeping anc