A Well-run Trial. Ill 



as they can along the narrow road, Fan after them. A 

 prolonged and shrill whistle from the shepherd causes the 

 bitch to look back. A hand held up and Fan drops, like a 

 steady setter that has just located game, and awaits further 

 signal. The sheep eventually stop running, look around, 

 one picks a mouthful of grass, another follows suit. That 

 whistle again ! up jumps the bitch and is away to her charge 

 once more, and quietly and sensibly contrives to turn them 

 off the path and drive them in the direction now indicated, 

 right up to a stone fence in which an opening has been 

 made and through which the sheep must go. Maybe they 

 will, most likely they will not. A moment's hesitation, the 

 bitch presses them a little and they bolt right up the fence 

 side to the corner, from whence they refuse to budge, turning 

 round and facing the dog once more. The shepherd gives his 

 signal, and over the wall leaps Fan, is lost to sight a moment 

 but re-appears on the top of the fence right above the sheep; 

 who, alarmed by the apparition, forthwith return by the 

 way they came. A loud cheer from the spectators testifies 

 their appreciation of this excellent piece of work. Again 

 the woolly stupids boggle at the opening in the fence (that 

 " gap-steead " the natives call it), but in due course are per- 

 suaded to go through and into the next allotment. Ordinary 

 driving by signal and whistle is successfully accomplished 

 along the remainder of the course to the boundary where the 

 turn has to be made towards home. Sometimes the trial is 

 here extended, and both sheep and dog disappear in the 

 distance, but Fan, well-trained, is lucky in going no more 

 than a score of yards or so behind the furthest flag, and a 

 cheery " fetch 'em up " causes her to hurry the little flock 

 towards the penning hurdles to which the shepherd now 

 moves from his original position and awaits their coming. 



