Friends and Helpers | Page 4

away for many days at a time. In winter the sheep
were kept near the cottage and fed with food which had been laid up for
them in the autumn. The sheep did not belong to Sandy's father, but he
took the best possible care of them.
[Illustration: Caption: "Rover learns to be useful." Group of sheep
standing around under a tree. Several appear to be looking at something
off to the right -- Rover?]
One day when he came home from the hills he said: "We must not let

Rover be idle all his life. He must learn to do something useful. I shall
take him to the hills in the morning and teach him to look after the
sheep. He will be a great help to me, and I will be a good master to
him."
So the next morning Rover started off with his master, looking very
proud and happy. At first it was hard to make the dog take care of the
sheep in the right way. He thought it was great fun to run after them
and bark at their heels, but he did not know when to bark and when to
be quiet. However, he did his best to learn, and when the shepherd went
home he said that Rover would make a very useful dog.

THE LOST SHEEP.
Soon the snow began to fall and it was pleasant to sit round the fire and
watch the great logs crackling on the hearth. They were all very happy
at the cottage and Rover was sure that he had the best home in the
world.
One bitterly cold night the wind blew in great gusts. In some way the
door of the sheep-shed blew open and in the morning not one of the
sheep could be seen. The poor things were so tired of being shut up that
they had wandered off in the cold.
When the shepherd missed his sheep, he was in great trouble.
"Rover, my boy," he said, "the sheep have run away. What shall we do?
I wonder if you are wise enough to help me find them."
Rover jumped up quickly and shook himself as if to say, "I am all
ready!" and then ran to the door. First he ran round and round the
sheepfold, smelling with his moist, black nose close to the ground, and
looking very wise. Then he ran a little way towards the hills and stood
looking back, with one paw in the air. His ears were lifted, his eyes
were bright, and he gave a low whine, as if to say, "I think those poor
sheep have gone to the hills. Are you coming with me, or shall I go
alone?"

THE LOST DOG.
Rover trotted off towards the hills and his master followed, but he
could not walk fast enough to please the dog.
There was no snow on the ground at first, but before noon it began to

fall thick and fast. The day passed and the father was still away; night
came and he had not returned.
Sandy and Jessie were very sad, for they could think only of their father
and his faithful dog. It was very dangerous to be out on the hills in such
weather. Often men were lost in the snow and died from cold and
hunger.
At last, after hours of anxious waiting, a welcome footstep was heard
and the happy children ran to open the door. Their father came in,
shaking the snow from his rough coat. He looked very grave and tired.
"Oh, father!" cried Sandy. "Where is Rover? And have you found the
sheep?"
The poor man shook his head. "The sheep are not to be found," he said
sadly. "And I have lost our good Rover, too. It is a terrible storm. I fear
they are all frozen. If the sheep are killed, it will take all I have in the
world to pay for them."

ROVER COMES HOME.
Sandy and Jessie began to cry. Their mother, too, was crying. She was
busy with the supper, but her thoughts were with the poor, hungry
animals in the bitter cold.
Early the next morning, and for several days the shepherd went out to
look for his lost sheep, but he could find no trace of them.
"There is nothing for me to do now but to go to the owner of the
sheep," he said, at last. "He is a very hard man. I am afraid he will turn
us out of our home."
Suddenly, while he was speaking, there was a noise at the door, and in
a moment a familiar voice was heard.
"Bow-wow-wow! Bow-wow-wow!"
"Rover has come back!" shouted Sandy, flinging himself upon the door
in his hurry to