Instinct 157 



and in his desire to reach the object of his love, '' Rob ' 

 cautiously, and with many qualms, stepped gingerly past 

 the danger zones, needless to say, to be greatly rewarded 

 and caressed by his friend. After this first test, there was 

 no further trouble, and he became accustomed to run down 

 the trench between the powder flashes, with complete non- 

 chalance. After a time his special friend was replaced by 

 one of the ordinary staff, and" Rob " understood that this 

 test was part of a system of duty, and must be disconnected 

 with any personal element. This power to reason out 

 things in connection with their work, and to realize that 

 the rules must be obeyed for their own sake, as part of 

 the very high mission, with which they were entrusted, 

 was borne out in France, when a dog's keeper was wounded 

 or removed from his own particular charge. It at once 

 " carried on " with another keeper, accepting the change, 

 no doubt with deep regret, but as a necessity, due to 

 circumstances. 



A wonderful instance of this sense of discipline is nar- 

 rated concerning a collie, by the poet Hogg, in the " Shep- 

 herd's Calendar." In this case the strict observance of 

 what the conscientious animal conceived to be its duty, 

 overcame even the maternal instinct. 



A collie belonged to a man named Steele, who was in 

 the habit of consigning sheep to her charge without super- 

 vision. " On one occasion," says Hogg, " whether Steele 

 remained behind or took another road, I know not ; but 

 on arriving home late in the evening, he was astonished to 

 hear, that his faithful animal had never made its appear- 

 ance with the drove. He and his son, or servant, instantly- 

 prepared to set out by different paths in search of her ; 

 but on their going out into the streets, there was she 

 coming with the drove, not one missing, and, marvellous 



