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HIS DOG
Six of the sheep had remained bunched in their runaway dash； while
all the rest had scattered singly。 It was after this bleating sextet that Chum
was now racing。
Nor did he stop when he came up with them。 Tearing past them he
wheeled almost in midair and slackened his pace； running transversely
ahead of them and breaking into a clamor of barks。
The six； seeing their foe menacing them from in front； came to a
jumbled and slithering halt； preparing to break their formation and to
scatter。 But Chum would not have it so。
Still threatening them with his thunderous bark he made little dashes at
one or another of them that tried to break away； and he crowded back the
rest。
As a result； there was but one direction the dazed sheep could takethe
direction whence they had come。 And； uncertainly； shamblingly； they
made their way back toward the fold。
Scarce had they been fairly started in their cowed progress when
Chum was off at a tangent； deserting his six charges and bearing down
with express train speed on a stray wether that had paused in his escape to
nibble at a line of early peas in the truck garden。
At sight of the approaching collie the sheep flung up its head and
began again to run。 But the dog was in front of it； whichever way the
panic…stricken animal turned；in every direction but one。 And in that
direction fled the fugitive。 Nor did it stop in its headlong flight until it was
alongside the six which Chum had first 〃turned〃。
Pausing only long enough to round up one or two sheep which were
breaking loose from the bunch Chum was off again in headlong chase of
still another and another and another stray。
Link Ferris； in blank incredulity； stood gaping at the picture before
himstaring 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；
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HIS DOG
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。 II 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 sheepyes； and the scent of them； especially
the scenthad done queer things to his brain； had aroused a million
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HIS DOG
sleeping ancestral memories。
He had understood perfectly well his master's order that he leave them
alone。 And he had been disappointed by it。 He himself had not known
clearly what it was he would have liked to do to them。 But he had known
he and they ought to have some sort of relationship。 And then at the
gesture and the snarled command of 〃Go get them！〃 some closed door in
Chum's mind had swung wide； and； acting on an instinct he himself
did not understand； he had hurled himself into the gay task of rounding up
the flock。
So； for a thousand generations on the Scottish hills； had Chum's
ancestors earned their right to live。 And so through successive generations
had they imbued their progeny with that accomplishment until it had
become a primal instinct。 Even as the unbroken pointer of the best type
knows by instinct the rudiments of his work in the field so will many a
collie take up sheep herding by ancestral training。
There had been nothing wonderful in Chum's exploit。 Hundreds of
untrained collies have done the same thing on their first sight of sheep。
The craving to chase and slay sheep is a mere perversion of this olden
instinct； just as the disorderly 〃flushing〃 and scattering of bird coveys is a
perversion of the pointer or setter instinct。 Chum； luckily for himself and
for his master's flock； chanced to run true to form in this matter of heredity；
instead of inheriting his tendency in the form of a taste for sheep murder。
The first collie； back in prehistoric days； was the first dog with the wit
to know his master's sheep apart from all other sheep。 Perhaps that is the
best； if least scientific； theory of the collie's origin。
But to Link Ferris's unsophisticated eyes the achievement was all but
supernatural； and it doubled his love for the dog。
That afternoon； by way of experiment； Ferris took Chum along when
he went to drive the sheep back from pasture to the fold。 By the time he
and the dog were within a hundred yards of the pasture gate Chum began
to dance； from sheer anticipation； mincing sidewise on the tips of his toes
in true collie fashion； and varying the dance by little rushes forward。
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HIS DOG
Link opened the crazy gate。 Waiting for no further encouragement the
dog sped into the broad field and among the grazing sheep that were
distributed unevenly over the entire area of the lot。
Ordinarilyunless the sheep were ready to come homeit was a matter
of ten or fifteen minutes each evening for Link to collect them and start
them on their way。 To…day； in less than three minutes； Chum had the whole
flock herded and trotting through the opening； to the lane outside。
Nor； this time； did the sheep flee from him in the same panic dread as
in the morning。 They seemed to have learnedif indeed a sheep can ever
learn anythingthat Chum was their driver； not their enemy。
From the fold Link as usual went to the woodlot where his five head of
lean milch cattle were at graze。 Three of the cows were waiting at the bars
for him； but one heifer and a new…dry Holstein were hidden somewhere in
the recesses of the second…growth timber。
The afternoon was hot； it had been a hot day。 Link was tired。 He
dreaded the labor of exploring ten acres of undergrowth for his two
missing cattle。 An inspiration came to him。 Pointing to the three stolidly
waiting cows at the bars he waved his arm in the ge