the faint blue haze of
smoke. A few white clouds floated in the sky and their cool shadows
crept slowly across the field.

The horses were not very numerous, but the show had other attractions
and was an excuse for a general holiday. The crowd was larger than
usual, Mrs. Osborn's nervous speech was cheered, and for a time Osborn
forgot that the office he had taken might cost him something. He was
carrying out a duty he owed the neighborhood and felt that he could do
so better than anybody else. He did not admit that he liked to take the
leading place.

His first annoyance came with the sheep-dog trials. He had not known
Askew was a competitor and frowned as he saw Grace go up to him when a
flock of Herdwicks entered the field. The girl ought to have seen that it
was not the proper thing for his daughter to proclaim her acquaintance
with the fellow. Then Gerald followed her, and began talking to Askew as
if he knew him well. Gerald, was of course, irresponsibly eccentric, but
his folly jarred.

Grace had found it needful to get a new dress and hat, and Kit thrilled
and tried to hide his delight in her beauty as she advanced. His
rough-coated dog ran to meet her and she stroked its shaggy head.

"I hope Bob is going to win," she remarked.

"It's doubtful," Kit replied. "He's clever, but they don't give us much
time and he's getting slow. One or two of his rivals are very good."

"You'll do your best, old Bob," said Grace, and the dog, looking up at
her with friendly eyes, beat his tail on the ground.

Then Gerald came up, and soon afterwards the judges tied a string to a
farmer's leg and fastened the other end to a post. This allowed him to
run a short distance, after which he must direct his dog by voice.

"First trial, Mr. Forsyth's Merry Lad," a steward announced, and the
crowd gathered round when the judge took out his watch.

Furze bushes had been stuck into the ground to simulate a broken hedge.
Beyond these was a row of hurdles with an open gate, and then a number
of obstacles, while a railed pen occupied a corner of the field. Kit
gave Grace a card showing the way the sheep must be driven round the
different barriers.

"It's a good test, particularly as we can't follow the dogs and they must
take each obstacle in its proper turn."

"They are wonderfully clever to understand," said Grace, and stopped when
the judge shouted, "Time!"

The farmer called his dog, a handsome smooth-haired collie, that set