112 The Collie or Sheep Dog. 



Within these hurdles the sheep have to be placed before 

 the trial ends successfully. John is a careful man and 

 knows his work. He lays down his stick at one corner, 

 and possibly divesting himself of his coat or plaid, places 

 that on the top, whilst Fan is diligently bringing up 

 her charge. There are the coat and stick at one side of 

 the opening, John is at the other ; Fan has to bring the 

 sheep between the two. A seemingly easy task. The 

 latter are suspicious and still w r ild ; they look about them, 

 ultimately turn, and, notwithstanding the furious antics of 

 John in his shirt-sleeves, rush right past him, stop and 

 look about them fifty yards aw r ay. Fan has dropped of her 

 own free will, and lies crouched upon the grass. A 

 moment to allow the trio to settle down somewhat ; when up 

 she springs by signal, and is soon behind them again. A 

 second and a third time they break away, running around 

 the pen as it they were looking for the opening, but at the 

 same time always avoiding it. Now they are quiet, seem- 

 ingly docile, with the entrance right in front. Fan has 

 again crouched down. John has again spread out his arms 

 his wings they may be called like some huge human butter- 

 fly. A sheep has its head almost in the opening. Fan 

 crawls along on her belly ; gradually she drives her 

 charge forwards. One is in the pen, but, coming out 

 again in an instant, does an unrehearsed circus performance 

 around the hurdles. Fan has at last obtained the measure 

 of its mates, will not allow them to move away, and the 

 three are together once more. " Shoo ! shoo-o ! " says the 

 shepherd, as he again expands his whitened arms his 

 wings ; the sheep move a yard. Fan, on her belly, crawls 

 two yards. Two feet, one foot more, and, huddling together 

 in aheap, the three " black faces" jostle into the pen. Fan, on 



