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Yet his own intelligence had long since taught him that his 〃farm critters〃
responded but dully to his attempts at a more perfect understanding。
He knew； for example； that the horse he had bred and reared and had
taught to come at his call； would doubtless suffer the first passing stranger
to mount him and ride him away； despite any call from his lifelong master。
He knew that his presence； to the cattle and sheep； meant only food or a
shift of quarters； and that an outsider could drive or tend them as readily as
could he on whose farm they had been born。 Their possible affection for
him was a hazy thing； based solely on what he fed them and on their
occasional mild interest in being petted。
But with Chum it was all different。 The dog learned quickly his new
master's moods and met them in kind。 The few simple tricks Link sought
to teach him were grasped with bewildering ease。 There was a human
quality of sympathy and companionship which radiated almost visibly
from Chum。 His keen collie brain was forever amazing Ferris by its
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HIS DOG
flashes of perception。 The dog was a revelation and an endless source of
pleasure to the hermit…farmer。
When Chum was whole of his hurt and when the injured leg had knit
so firmly that the last trace of lameness was gone； Link fell to recalling his
father's preachments as to the havoc wrought by dogs upon sheep。 He
could not afford to lose the leanest and toughest of his little sheep flock
even as price for the happiness of owning a comrade。 Link puzzled
sorely over this。
Then one morning it occurred to him to put the matter up to Chum
himself。 Hitherto he had kept the dog around the house； except on their
daily walks； and he had always tied him when driving the sheep to or from
pasture。 This morning he took the collie along when he went out to release
the tiny flock from their barnyard fold and send them out to graze。
Link opened the fold gate； one hand on Chum's collar。 Out billowed
the sheep in a ragged scramble。 Chum quivered with excitement as the
woolly catapults surged past him。 Eagerly he looked up into his master's
face； then back at the tumbling creatures。
〃Chum！〃 spoke Ferris sharply。 〃Leave 'em be！ Get that？ LEAVE 'EM
BE！〃
He tightened his hold on the collar as he gave the command。 Chum
ceased to quiver in eagerness and stood still； half puzzled； half grieved by
the man's unwonted tone。
The sheep； at sight and smell of the dog； rushed jostlingly from their
pen and scattered in every direction； through barnyard and garden and
nearer fields。 Bleating and stampeding； they ran。 Link Ferris blinked after
them； and broke into speech。 Loudly and luridly he swore。
This stampede might well mean an hour's running to and fro before the
scattered flock could be herded once more。 An hour of panting and
blasphemous pursuit； at the very outset of an overbusy day。 And all
because of one worthless dog。
His father had been right。 Link saw thatnow that it was too late。 A
dog had no place on a farm。 A poor man could not afford the silly luxury
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HIS DOG
of a useless pet。 With whistle and call Ferris sought to check the flight of
the flock。 But； as every farmer knows； there is nothing else on earth quite
so unreasonable and idiotic as a scared sheep。 The familiar summons did
not slacken nor swerve the stampede。
The fact that this man had been their protector and friend made no
difference to the idiotic sheep。 They were frightened。 And； therefore； the
tenuously thin connecting line between them and their human master had
snapped。 For the moment they were merely wild animals； and he was a
member of a hostile racealmost as much as was the huge dog that had
caused their fright。
A wistful whine from Chum interrupted Link's volley of swearing。 The
dog had noted his master's angry excitement and was seeking to offer
sympathy or help。
But the reminder of Chum's presence did not check Link's wrath at the
unconscious cause of the stampede。 He loosed his hold on the collar；
resolving to take out his rage in an unmerciful beating should the dog seek
to chase the fleeing sheep。 That would be at least an outlet for the impotent
wrath which Ferris sought to wreak on someone or something。
〃Go get 'em then； if you're so set on it！〃 he howled at the collie；
waving a windmill arm at the fugitives。 〃Only I'll whale your measly head
off if you do！〃
The invitation and the gesture that went with it seemed to rouse some
long…dormant memory in the collie's soul。 Like a flash he was off in flying
pursuit of the sheep。 Ferris； in the crazy rage which possessed him； hoped
Chum might bite at least one of the senseless creatures that were causing
him such a waste of precious time and of grudged effort。
Wherefore he did not call back the fastrunning collie。 It would be time
enough to whale the daylight out of himyes； and to rescue his possible
victims from deathwhen the dog should have overhauled the woolly
pests。 So； in dour fury； Link watched the pursuit and the flight。
Then； of a sudden； the black rage in Ferris's visage changed to
perplexity； and slowly from that to crass wonderment。
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HIS DOG
Six of the sheep had remained bunched in their runaway dash； while
all the rest had scattered singly。 It was after this bleating sextet that Chum
was now racing。
Nor did he stop when he came up with them。 Tearing past them he
wheeled almost in midair and slackened his pace； running transversely
ahead of them and breaking into a clamor of barks。
The six； seeing their foe menacing them from in front； came to a
jumbled and slithering halt； preparing to break their formation and to
scatter。 But Chum would not have it so。
Still threatening them with his thunderous bark he made little dashes at
one or another of them that tried to break away； and he crowded back the
rest。
As a result； there was but one direction the dazed sheep could takethe
direction whence they had come