The New King 193 



been. But all that was over now. He had 

 found Buck, and perhaps the truant would 

 go back home with him soon. These must 

 have been the indefinite dog thoughts of 

 Shep as he journeyed with the herd, as it 

 began slowly moving southward on its 

 annual autumn migration. The herd fol- 

 lowed good feed, and grass was not to be 

 found where the frost had laid its withering 

 touch ; so it gradually drifted to the south, 

 although you could hardly call it a migra- 

 tion in the usual sense of the word. It was 

 too leisurely and too much without pur- 

 pose. 



But if the new King and his wolf com- 

 panion were feared by all the herd, for it 

 is the way of animals to fear things they do 

 not understand, the old King went the 

 way of all old Kings, be they brute or 

 human. In his wounded and crippled 

 condition he could not fight the battle of 

 life as he had done before, and he had 



