98 SKETCHES OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 



which he is generally held. One or two instances of 

 his sagacity will form our conclusion to this little sketch 

 of the transactions of the FOLD. 



A sheep-stealer possessing one of these faithful dogs, 

 employed him unworthily to further his own purposes. 

 Under pretence of looking at sheep with an intention 

 to purchase them, he went over the grounds, accom- 

 panied by his dog, to whom he secretly gave a signal so 

 as to let him know the individuals he wanted, to the 

 number perhaps of ten or twenty, out of a flock of some 

 hundreds ; he then went away, and from the distance of 

 several miles sent back the dog by himself in the night 

 time, who picked out the individual sheep, separated 

 them from the rest, and drove them before him the dis- 

 tance of ten or twelve miles till he came up with his 

 master. 



A Kentish farmer returning from market somewhat 

 intoxicated, fell from his horse among the snow in one 

 of the coldest nights ever known. A dog of this kind 

 who was following his master, rolled himself round, and 

 lay down upon the farmer's breast, in which state the 

 pair were found by a gentleman who went out early the 

 next morning to shoot wild fowl. The farmer appeared 

 quite lifeless ; but on administering the proper remedies 

 he gradually recovered, and justly felt that he owed his 

 life to the animal, who had preserved warmth in the 

 vital parts of his body, by thus spreading over them his 

 own shaggy coat. 



A butcher and cattle-dealer, living nine miles from 

 Alston, in Cumberland, was accustomed to drive sheep 

 and oxen to Alston market, and was often surprised at 

 the sagacity of his dog, and the cleverness with which 

 he managed the cattle. At length he took very little 

 trouble about the matter himself, but rode carelessly 

 along, amusing himself with the way in which the 

 dog attended to his charge. So convinced was he 

 of the trustworthiness of his faithful servant, that at 

 last he laid a wager that the dog should drive a certain 



