-see, there's his track," pointing to foot-prints plainly
marked in wet sand--"but no track of man or horse to be seen. By Jove,
look there!"

They had come to the crest of a small hill, and were looking down a
long valley. To right and left of them towered the blue, rugged peaks;
straight in front the valley opened out, and they got a fairly clear
view for a mile or more. About half a mile ahead, travelling in a
compact mass down the valley, was a mob of some two or three hundred
sheep. At their heels trotted two sheep-dogs of the small wiry breed
common in the mountains. Hugh looked about to see who was in charge
of them; but no one was visible. The dogs were taking the sheep along
without word or sign from anyone, hurrying them at a good sharp pace,
each keeping on his own flank of the mob, or occasionally dropping
behind to hurry up the laggards.

It was a marvellous exhibition of sagacity. They came to a place where
it was necessary to turn sharply to the right to cross a small creek;
one of the dogs shot forward, and sent the leading sheep scurrying down
the bank, while the other fell back a few yards and prevented the mob
turning back. After a moment's hesitation the sheep plunged into the
shallow water, splashed across the creek, and set off again in their
compact march down the valley, urged and directed by their silent
custodians--who paused to lap a few mouthfuls of water, and then hurried
on with an air of importance.

"Look at that," said Hugh, in open admiration. "Isn't that wonderful?
Those are Red Mick's dogs. I knew they were good dogs, but this is
simply marvellous, isn't it? What are we to do now? If I take the sheep
from them they'll run home, and I can't prosecute Red Mick because they
picked up a mob of sheep."

"Oh, but he must be near them somewhere," said Mary, to whom the whole
affair appeared uncanny. "They wouldn't drive sheep by themselves,
surely?"

"Oh, of course, he started them. Once he got the sheep out of the
paddock, he started the dogs for home, and rode off. You see his plan.
If anyone finds the dogs with them, of course he had nothing to do with
it. Sheep-dogs will often go into a paddock, and bring a mob of sheep
up to the yard on their own account. It's an instinct with them. Look
at those two now, forcing the sheep over that bad crossing. Isn't it
wonderful?"

"Well," she said, triumphantly, "what about the fence? They couldn't dig
up that."

"Oh, Red Mick did; but who