THE DOG. 139 



be a pursuit, and he could not get them home again 

 before day. Resolving, at all events, to keep his 

 hands clear of them, he corrected his dog in great wrath, 

 left the sheep once more, and taking his dog with him, 

 rode off a second time. 



He had not ridden above a mile, when he perceived 

 that his dog had again given him the slip ; and suspect- 

 ing for what purpose, he was terribly alarmed as well as 

 chagrined : for the daylight approached, and he durst 

 not make a noise calling on his dog, for fear of alarming 

 the neighbourhood, in a place where both he and his 

 dog were known. He resolved therefore to abandon 

 the animal to himself, and take a road across the coun- 

 try which he was sure his dog did not know, and could 

 not follow. He took that road ; but being on horse- 

 back, he could not get across the inclosed fields. He 

 at length came to a gate, which he closed behind him, 

 and went about half a mile farther, by a zig-zag course 

 to a farm-house, where both his sister and another per- 

 son with whom he was intimate lived ; and at that 

 place he remained until after breakfast-time. 



The people of this house were all examined on the 

 trial, and no one had either seen sheep, or heard them 

 mentioned, save one man, who came up to the young 

 man as he was standing at the stable-door, and told 



