THE RED COW 



the line fences cross, and the result is a wood-lot 

 about four times as large as can be found on or- 

 dinary farms. Besides there are still some big elms 

 left in this patch and if there would be coons any- 

 where it would be there. We started towards this 

 happy hunting ground with Sheppy in the lead. We 

 climbed over two wire fences in crossing the road 

 and the second one was too tight for Sheppy. He 

 could not get through so he ran along the road until 

 he came to a rail fence and then he travelled parallel 

 with us on the other side of another wire fence that 

 would not let him through. We were sorry for this 

 at first but afterwards we were glad. When we had 

 travelled about twenty rods through the field to- 

 wards the other wood-lot Sheppy suddenly began 

 to show signs of excitement. He began to run 

 round with his nose to the ground and was quite 

 evidently following a trail of some kind. Presently 

 he started away across the pasture field he was in 

 and was lost to sight. A moment later there were a 

 series of sharp snarling barks and the boy was filled 

 with sudden alarm. He remembered that there were 

 sheep in that field so I whistled for Sheppy. After 

 a bit we saw him coming — he is largely marked with 

 white — and his nose was to the ground. In fact he 



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