IAN TRIES AGAIN
Ian was once more in search of Betty. The story of King Bruce echoed in
his ears and spurred him on. Roy, too, seemed to be inspired with new
hope. He sniffed and ran, and ran and sniffed. Every once in a while,
he would let out short, sharp barks.
"Do not weary yourself, lad," said Ian. "We have long to go this day,
and we'll not give up."
With these words the boy began to whistle. A happiness seemed to come
suddenly to him as though he already had Betty safe in his arms.
For many hours the boy and dog climbed and walked. At last they found
themselves in a wild, rugged portion of the country, where Ian had
never before been. Rocks were all about him. He descended into giant
caverns.
He called, "Betty!" and received only an echo for reply. He went
farther until it was so late that he could not think of returning home.
He would surely lose his way in the darkness, if he attempted it. So he
curled himself up between two massive rocks and, with Roy nestling
close to his side, fell fast asleep.
[Illustration: IAN, BETTY AND ROY]
At dawn, Ian was awakened by Roy. The dog was barking and making wild
dashes in the direction of a large gulch near by.
He ran madly to the gulch, then dashed back again to Ian. His barks
came in hysterical gasps.
Ian ran with Roy to the edge of the gulch. Looking down, the boy saw a
terrible sight. Hanging on to a ragged ledge was a large mother sheep.
It was one of his own father's, as he could see by the markings on the
wool. The poor creature was bleating. A few feet above the ledge stood
her baby lamb.
At each of Roy's barks, the mother sheep gave a little jump, and the
ledge of rock quivered. Ian thought surely it would break and the sheep
would be dashed to pieces on the rocks below.
"Down, down!" commanded Ian in the same voice as his father used to the
dog.
Roy crouched and whined, but stopped his barking. Ian remembered that
some of the mother sheep distrusted the dog. So it would be impossible
for Roy to show himself now. What must be done must be done by Ian
himself.
While the boy climbed down the precipitous rocks, the faithful dog,
deprived of his rightful work, whined and howled. Had he not been
trained to obey, he would never have stayed. But to a shepherd dog, a
master's word is law. Roy watched his young friend as the boy made the
perilous descent to rescue the terrified animal on the ledge.
The sheep was large, and its wool weighed heavily. But Ian grasped the
creature firmly. With all his might, he pulled until he had it on the
rock above. When the baby lamb saw its mother coming, it uttered loud,
joyous bleatings.
Ian could only think that the sheep had been led astray by his father's
new dog. He was worried for fear that there were others which had
strayed beyond. He decided to see, and started off beyond the rock
hill.
But when Roy began to drive the mother sheep along, she became very
angry. She ran at him with her head lowered. Roy could not manage her.
She refused to obey him and Ian.
The boy, who carried a crook like his father's, was forced to resort to
the only means of bringing her to order. With a quick sweep of the
crook, he caught the baby sheep. He lifted it in his arms.
"Now, you'll come away," he said to the mother, as he walked on.
Snorting, the mother sheep was forced to follow.
On and on walked Ian and Roy. And now the hunt was not only for Betty,
but for more of his father's herd. Ian thought he would find some that
might have been led astray by the new dog.
At noon he sat down to eat his "piece," which he carried in his
sporran. When he had finished, he started for a clear stream near by.
As he approached, he thought he saw one of the grayish rocks in the
stream moving. He rubbed his eyes. Could it be a reflection from the
water? No. It was moving slowly.
Ian approached faster. What was his amazement at finding the gray rock
to be his own Betty! It was his Betty, thin and ragged, and stumbling
along on her front knees, too weak to raise her feet. Poor little
beast!
She was nearly dead. As Ian raised her up, he realized that he had
found her just in time. The creature seemed to know the boy, for she
nestled down in his arms as of yore. In spite of her suffering, she
seemed perfectly happy, now that her Ian was found.
[Illustration]