her (my blood being pretty hot by this time) that I would thank
her to obey orders and give advice when it was asked for. Much abashed
at this unexpected blast of spunk, cousin Ellen asked my pardon. When I
delivered the sheep into the hands of the Chief Washer, old gentleman
gazed benignly at me and simply remarked, "Well, well, sir, you had a
dusty time of it, didn't you? But you'll learn, you'll learn, my boy."

They proceeded to soap the animal by pouring strong suds into its wool,
and then seizing it by the legs, threw it upon its side in the tub of
water. Thereupon another struggle ensued, during which the Chief Washer
and his Assistant were plentifully spattered; but the experienced
calmness with which the former bore it, greatly excited my admiration.
After perhaps three or four minutes of scrubbing and squeezing the wool,
the now bedraggled and hopelessly patient creature was passed on to the
Rinser, who in turn immersed and rinsed it in the cleaner water of the
upper tub. Meantime another sheep had been required from the Catcher,
who again entered the yard, followed by his Assistant. This time I was
quite content to attempt the capture of a smaller one, and to approach
the animal in a less precipitate manner; for much as I had spurned my
cousin's advice at the moment of receiving it, I now recognized its
value.

The Catcher and his Assistant were kept very busy during the remainder
of the forenoon, for the Chief Washer was an experienced and rapid
operator. Some of the young sheep proved wild and refractory; and I
remember that both Ellen and I grew very tired by the time the last of
the seventy had been caught, subdued, dragged to the tub, and then
dragged back to the yard from the Rinser's tub. I for one had had quite
enough of it, and was content to sit down and look on, while Halstead,
Addison and Theodora caught several of the lambs, and ducked them in the
tub, by way, as they said, of giving them an early lesson and a
foretaste of what they would have to encounter the next spring, in the
regular order of things.

The fire was now allowed to subside under the water-pipe; and the Chief
Fireman declared that she and the girls must set off for the house at
once, in order to prepare dinner, for by this time the sun was nearing
the meridian and every one getting hungry.

It was an easy matter to drive the now docile and water-soaked flock
back to pasture; and we left pipe and tubs at the brook for our
nei