" HECTOR. 95 



SO dark that we were obliged to fold them with candles. 

 And after closing them up safely, I went home Avdth my 

 father and the rest to supper. When Hector's supper 

 was set down, behold he was awanting ! and as I knew 

 we had him at the fold, which was within call of the 

 house, I went out and called and whistled on him for a 

 good while, but he did not make his appearance. I 

 was distressed about this ; for having to take away the 

 lambs next morning, I knew I could not drive them a 

 mile without my dog if it had been to save the whole 

 drove. The next morning, as soon as it was day, I arose, 

 and inquired if Hector had come home ? No ; he had 

 not been seen. I knew not what to do ; but my father 

 proposed that he would take out the lambs and herd 

 them, and let them get some meat to fit them for the 

 road, and that I should go with all speed to Shorthope 

 to see if my dog had gone back there. Accordingly we 

 went together to the fold to turn out the lambs, and 

 there was poor Hector, sitting trembling in the very 

 middle of the fold-door, on the inside of the flake that 

 closed it, with his eye still steadfastly fixed on the 

 lambs. He had been so hardly set with them after it 

 grew dark that he durst not for his life leave them, 

 although hungry, fatigued, and cold, for the night had 

 turned out a deluge of rain. He had never even so 

 much as lain down ; for only the small spot that he sat 

 on was dry, and there had he kept watch the whole 

 night. 



" Almost any other colley would have discovered that 

 the lambs were safe enough in the fold, but honest 

 Hector had not been able to see through this. He even 

 refused to take my word for it ; for he would not quit 

 his watch, though he heard me calling both at night and 

 H 4 



