to their course he would have taken them home. Two miles
of their way was by a made road, and the rest through an open moor.

"One of the most interesting anecdotes I have known," says Sir Patrick
Walker, who related this anecdote to Captain Brown, and the one which
follows, "relates to a sheep-dog. The names of the parties have
escaped me just now, but I recollect perfectly that it came from an
authentic source. The circumstances were these:--A gentleman sold a
considerable flock of sheep to a dealer, which the latter had not
hands to drive. The seller, however, told him he had a very
intelligent dog, which he would send to assist him to a place about
thirty miles off; and that when he reached the end of his journey, he
had only to feed the dog, and desire him to go home. The dog
accordingly received his orders, and set off with the flock and the
drover; but he was absent for so many days that his master began to
have serious alarms about him, when one morning, to his great
surprise, he found the dog returned with a very large flock of sheep,
including the whole that he had lately sold. The fact turned out to
be, that the drover was so pleased with the colley that he resolved to
steal him, and locked him up until the time when he was to leave the
country. The dog grew sulky, and made various attempts to escape, and
one evening he fortunately succeeded. Whether the brute had discovered
the drover's intention, and supposed the sheep were also stolen, it is
difficult to say; but by his conduct it looked so, for he immediately
went to the field, collected the sheep, and drove them all back to his
master."

"A few years ago, when upon a shooting party in the Braes of Ranoch,
the dogs were so worn out as to be unfit for travel. Our guide said he
knew the shepherd, who had a dog that perhaps might help us. He
called, and the young man came with his little black colley, to which,
as soon as he had conversed with the guide, he said something in Erse.
The dog set off in a sneaking sort of manner up the hill, and, when he
showed any degree of keenness, we hastened to follow, lest he should
set up the birds; but the lad advised us 'to be canny, as it was time
eneuch when Lud came back to tell.' In a short space Lud made his
appearance on a knoll, and sat down, and the shepherd said we might go
up now, for Lud had found the birds. The dog waited till we were
ready, and trotted on at his master's command, who soon cautioned us
to