"Yes, isn't it? You see sheep recognize their young merely by scent. The
power of smell is remarkably keen in all sheep. They can tell their
babies no other way. We do not want any of the ewes grieving because
they have no lamb--they do grieve, poor things--so we have to fool them
a little. It is a fair thing to do because the ewes with twins do not
need two. They are just as happy with one," explained Sandy.

"And now you will have a big, big flock to take care of, won't you,
Sandy?"

"Aye! There is much more to do now. I am glad you have come back, Don,
for I can put you to work."

"You must put me to work also, Sandy," Mr. Clark observed, smiling.

Sandy shook his head.

"Well, I reckon not. It would be a fine thing for me to be asking a
gentleman like you to put your hand to anything, now wouldn't it!"

Evidently the idea amused the herder.

"Why not?" Mr. Clark asked seriously. "I am used to putting my hand to
much hard work when I am at home. Everybody in this world works one way
or another. Some of us work with our heads, some with our hands; but so
long as it is all honest, helpful work and we do it the best we can, we
are all on equal footing, Sandy. Now if you were in my office in Boston
I might be teaching you kinds of work that would be new to you; here you
can teach me. Try and forget everything, and just consider me a person
who is interested in sheep and wants to learn about them. Let me join
Donald in helping all I can."

"I'll take you at your word then, sir, since you urge me. I'm no denying
it will make matters simpler. There is enough to do--more than enough,
and extra help will be welcome. Luigi will be going down with the
ponies, I suppose, sir."

"Yes, he is to take them back, and stay and aid Thornton at the ranch."

"Then you will have a place to fill right away, Mr. Clark. Some of the
men who have been helping have gone down already, but I have kept Tobin
and a couple of the Mexicans. Still it is no so easy to protect so many
lambs from the coyotes. Lambing time is their great feasting season. A
coyote is a mean creature, sir. Yet despise 'em as you may you cannot
help admiring their cunning. There is no smarter animal alive than a
coyote!"

"Tell us about them."

Sandy dropped down on a rock beside Mr. Clark and Donald.

"A coyote, as of course you know, is a wee bit wolf, about the size of a
fox, and there is no feed he enjoys so well as a young lamb. Coyotes
seem to know whe