arging the good and faithful dog
to watch over the boy.

Scarcely had the shepherd reached the summit, before there came up
one of those very thick fogs which are common among these mountains.
These heavy mists often come up so suddenly and so thick that it is
like a dark night--you can see absolutely nothing.

The unhappy father hurried down the mountain to his little boy; but,
from fright and from the utter darkness, lost the way.

The poor shepherd for many hours sought his child among the
treacherous swamps, the roaring cataracts and the steep precipices.

No little boy, no faithful dog could he see or hear. At length,
night came on, and the wretched father had to return to his cottage,
and to the mother of his child, and say the sad words, "He is lost.
My faithful dog is gone too, or he might help me find the boy."

That was a sad night for the poor cottagers. At break of day, the
shepherd, with his wife and his neighbors, set out to look for the
child. They searched all day long, in every place where it seemed
possible that lie could be, but all in vain. No little boy could
they find. The night came on, and again the poor shepherd and his
wife came home without their child.

On their return home, they found that the dog had been there; and,
on receiving a piece of oatmeal cake, had instantly gone off with
it. The next day and the day after, the shepherd renewed the search
for his child. On each day when they returned, they heard that the
dog had been to the house, taken his piece of cake, and immediately
disappeared. The shepherd determined to stay at home the next day
and watch his dog. He had a hope in his heart that the dog would
lead him to his child.

The dog came the next day, at the same hour, took his piece of cake,
and ran off. The shepherd followed him. He led the way to a cataract
at some distance from the place where the father had left the child.

The bank of the cataract was steep and high, and the abyss down
which the water rushed was terrific. Down the rugged and almost
perpendicular descent, the dog, without any hesitation, began to
make his way. At last, he disappeared into a cave, the mouth of
which was almost on a level with the cataract.

The shepherd, with great difficulty, followed. What were his
emotions, who can tell his joy, when he beheld his little boy
eating, with much satisfaction, the piece of cake which the faithful
animal had just brought? The dog stood by, eying his you