My First Summer 



main strength ; but instead of crossing over, 

 they swam about close to the bank, mak- 

 ing desperate attempts to get back into the 

 flock. Then a dozen or more were shoved 

 off, and the Don, tall like a crane and a 

 good natural wader, jumped in after them, 

 seized a struggling wether, and dragged it 

 to the opposite shore. But no sooner did he 

 let it go than it jumped into the stream and 

 swam back to its frightened companions in 

 the corral, thus manifesting sheep-nature as 

 unchangeable as gravitation. Pan with his 

 pipes would have had no better luck, I fear. 

 We were now pretty well baffled. The silly 

 creatures would suffer any sort of death 

 rather than cross that stream. Calling a 

 council, the dripping Don declared that 

 starvation was now the only likely scheme 

 to try, and that we might as well camp here 

 in comfort and let the besieged flock grow 

 hungry and cool, and come to their senses, 

 if they had any. In a few minutes after 

 being thus let alone, an adventurer in the 



1 150] 



