stand
this. A kebbed ewe is one whose lamb dies. As soon as such is found,
she is immediately brought home by the shepherd, and another lamb put
to her; and Scott, on going his rounds on the hill, whenever he found
a kebbed ewe, immediately gave her in charge to his bitch to take
home, which saved him from coming back that way again and going over
the same ground he had visited before. She always took them carefully
home, and put them into a fold which was close by the house, keeping
watch over them till she was seen by some one of the family; upon
which she instantly decamped, and hastened back to her master, who
sometimes sent her three times home in one morning with different
charges. It was the custom of the farmer to watch her and take the
sheep in charge from her: but this required a good deal of caution;
for as soon as she perceived that she was seen, whether the sheep were
put into the fold or not, she concluded her charge was at an end, and
no flattery could induce her to stay and assist in folding them. There
was a display of accuracy and attention in this that I cannot say I
have ever seen equalled.

"The late Mr. Steel, flesher in Peebles, had a bitch that was fully
equal to the one mentioned above, and that, too, in the very same
qualification. Her feats in taking sheep from the neighbouring farms
into the Flesh-market at Peebles, form innumerable anecdotes in that
vicinity. But there is one related of her, that manifests so much
sagacity with natural affection, that I do not think the history of
the animal creation furnishes such another.

"Mr. Steel had such implicit dependence on the attention of this
animal to his orders, that, whenever he put a lot of sheep before her,
he took a pride in leaving them to herself, and either remained to
take a glass with the farmer of whom he had made the purchase, or took
another road to look after bargains or other business. But one time he
chanced to commit a drove to her charge at a place called Willenslee,
without attending to her condition as he ought to have done. This farm
is five miles from Peebles, over wild hills, and there is no regularly
defined path to it. Whether Mr. Steel remained behind, or chose
another road, I know not; but, on coming home late in the evening, he
was astonished at hearing that his faithful animal had not made her
appearance with the flock. He and his son, or servant, instantly
prepared to set out by different paths in search of her;