We had to send for Ted, and when he returned a 

 couple of hours later Jess met him out on the road 

 in the dark where she had been watching half the time 

 ever since he left. She jumped up at his chest giving 

 a long tremulous whimper of welcome, and then ran 

 ahead straight to the nest in the grass. 



He took a lantern and we followed, but not too close, f 

 When he knelt down to look at the puppies she stood 

 over them and pushed herself in between him 

 them ; when he put out a hand to touch them she 

 pushed it away with her nose, whining softly in pro- 

 test and trembling with excitement you could see 

 she would not bite, but she hated him to touch her 

 puppies. Finally, when he picked one up she gave a 

 low cry and caught his wrist gently, but held it. 



That was Jess, the mother of Jock ! 



