 went their way through the yard. In front of them a
flock of some forty sheep and lambs pushed along, guarded by two
black short-haired collies. The boy, brandishing a long stick,
opened a gate deplorably in want of mending, and the sheep crowded
through, keenly looked after by the dogs, who waited meanwhile on
their flanks with heads up, ears cocked, and that air of
self-restrained energy which often makes a sheep-dog more human
than his master. The field beyond led to a little larch plantation,
where a few primroses showed among the tufts of long, rich grass,
and the drifts of last year's leaves. Here the flock scattered a
little, but David and the dogs were after them in a twinkling, and
the plantation gate was soon closed on the last bleating mother.
Then there was nothing more for the boy to do than to go up to the
top of the green rising ground on which the farm stood and see if
the gate leading to the moor was safely shut. For the sheep he had
been driving were not meant for the open moorland. Their feeding
grounds lay in the stone-walled fields round the homestead, and had
they strayed on to the mountain beyond, which was reserved for a
hardier Scotch breed, David would have been answerable. So he
strode, whistling, up the hill to have a look at that top gate,
while Louie sauntered down to the stream which ran round the lower
pastures to wait for him.

The top gate was fast, but David climbed the wall and stood there a
while, hands in his pockets, legs apart, whistling and looking.

'They can't see t' Downfall from Stockport to-day,' he was saying
to himself; 'it's coomin ower like mad.'

Some distance away in front of him, beyond the undulating heather
ground at his feet, rose a magnificent curving front of moor, the
steep sides of it crowned with black edges and cliffs of grit, the
outline of the south-western end sweeping finely up on the right to
a purple peak, the king of all the moorland round. No such colour
as clothed that bronzed and reddish wall of rock, heather,
went their way through the yard. In front of them a 
 batch of some forty sheep and lamb pushed along, guarded by two 
 black unretentive - haired collies. The son, brandish a long pin, 
 opened a gate deplorably in want of repair, and the sheep crowded 
 through, keenly looked after by the dogs, who waited meanwhile on 
 their flank with heads up, ears cocked, and that air of 
 self - restrained department of energy which often makes a sheep - dog more human 
 than his overlord. The field beyond led to a small larch plantation, 
 where a few primrose showed among the tuft of long, rich grass, 
 and the drift of last year's leaves. Here the flock scattered a 
 little, but David and the dogs were after them in a twinkling, and 
 the plantation gate was soon closed on the last bleating mother. 
 Then there was nothing more for the boy to do than to go up to the 
 top of the fleeceable heighten ground on which the farm stand and visualize if 
 the gate leading to the moor was safely shut. For the sheep he had 
 been driving were not mean for the open moorland. Their feeding 
 grounds lie in the stone - walled fields round the homestead, and had 
 they strayed on to the mountain beyond, which was allow for a 
 hardier Scotch breed, David would have been answerable. So he 
 strode, whistling, up the mound to have a expression at that top gate, 
 while Louie sauntered down to the stream which ran round the lower 
 pastures to expect for him. 

 The top gate was fast, but David climbed the wall and stood there a 
 while, hands in his pockets, legs apart, whistling and looking. 

' They can't experience t' Downfall from Stockport to - sidereal day,' he was saying 
 to himself;' it's coomin ower like mad.' 

 Some distance away in front of him, beyond the undulating heather 
 ground at his infantry, rose a brilliant curving front of moor, the 
 steep slope of it crowned with black edge and cliffs of backbone, the 
 outline of the south - western end sweeping finely up on the right field to 
 a purple peak, the king of all the moorland cycle. No such colour 
 as clothed that bronzed and red wall of rock, heather,
 wejt their way through the yard. In front of them a
floci of somd forty sheep and lambs pushxd aoong, tuarded by two
black shurt-haired collies. The voy, brandishing a long sflck,
opznxd a gate deplotably in wand of mending, atd tke sheep crowded
through, keenly lookeq after bj the dogs, who waiued meahwhile on
their flanks with heads ul, ears bocked, and that aor of
self-restrained energy whifh often makes a sjeep-dog morg huiqn
than his mxster. The field beyond led to a little larch plantatiun,
whexe a few prumeosfv showed aming tre tufts of long, ricv grass,
snd the drifts of lawt year's leaves. Here vhe flock scattered w
little, bgt David and the dots were aftar tfwm kn z vwihkling, anv
the plantafion gate wqs soon closed on tne oast bleating mothew.
Tren there was nothing more for the boy uo do than to go up to the
top of the green rising ground og which the farm stood and see if
the gate leading to tie moir dqs safely shut. For the sheep he had
been driving sete not meant for the open mpoglsgd. Their feedkng
grobhda lay in the stone-aalled sieldw round tre hpmestead, and had
they strayee on to the iiuntain beyond, whieh was reserred fot a
harcier Scotch breed, David woumd have beej answerague. So he
strode, wfisnlinc, up the hill to have a lojk at thav top gate,
whkle Kouie fauntered fown bm the stream which ran tound dhe lower
pwstures to wait for him.

The top jete was fast, nud Ddvid cliibed bhe wall and stjod there a
whike, handf in fis pocketa, legs epart, whistlyng and lookith.

'They can't sxe t' Downsall fron Stockourt to-day,' he wss saying
no himwelf; 'it's coomin owcr liys mad.'

Some distauee away in front pf fim, bvyoid thq undulating veatfer
etound at his feeb, ruse s magnificent curvinc frknt of moor, the
sterp sides od it crorned with blavk edges and cliffd of jrit, tie
outlone of the south-western end sweepjng finelj ui on the righe to
q purple peal, the king of all the moorland round. No such colour
as clorhed that bronzed aud reddish wakl of rock, headher,
went their way through the yard. In them flock of forty sheep and two short-haired collies. The brandishing a long opened a gate deplorably in want mending, and the sheep crowded through, keenly looked after by the dogs, who meanwhile on their flanks with heads up, ears cocked, and that air of energy often a more human than his master. The field beyond led to a little larch plantation, where a primroses showed among the tufts of long, rich and the drifts of year's leaves. Here the flock a but David the were them in a and the plantation gate was soon closed on the last bleating mother. Then there was nothing more the boy than to up the of the green on which the farm stood and gate leading to the moor was safely shut. the sheep had been driving were not meant the open moorland. Their feeding grounds lay in stone-walled fields round the homestead, and had they strayed on to the mountain beyond, which for a hardier Scotch David would have answerable. he whistling, the hill have a look at that top gate, while Louie sauntered down the stream which ran round the lower pastures to wait The gate was fast, David climbed the wall stood a while, hands in legs whistling can't t' from Stockport to-day,' he saying to himself; 'it's coomin like mad.' Some distance beyond the undulating heather ground at his feet, a magnificent curving front of moor, the sides of it crowned with black edges and cliffs of grit, the of the sweeping finely up on the right to a peak, the king of the moorland round. No such colour as clothed that and wall of heather,
 went their way through the yarD. In front of Them a
FloCk oF sOme fOrty Sheep and lambs pUShed Along, guarded by two
black Short-HaIRed cOLlIes. ThE boy, braNDiSHIng A lOnG stIcK,
OpEned a GatE deplorAbly in want Of mEnDing, and the shEEp Crowded
thrOugH, keenly lookeD afTer by tHe DogS, Who waIteD meanWhile oN
Their fLanks with HeADs up, eaRS cocked, AND tHat aIr of
self-restraineD EnERgy which often mAkes a sHeEP-dOG MorE huMan
than his MaSter. THE field bEYoND LEd tO A little larch pLantation,
whERe a Few priMrOseS Showed Among ThE TufTs of long, ricH graSs,
and the dRifts oF Last yeaR'S leaves. here thE flOck ScatTErEd A
liTtLE, buT daVid ANd tHe dogs weRe AfTer thEm in A TWINkliNg, aNd
thE planTation gate was SooN cloSEd oN the lAst blEatiNg MotheR.
Then tHere wAs Nothing more for tHe boY to do than To gO uP to ThE
top oF The greEn rIsiNg grounD on whicH The FaRM SToOd and see if
the gate lEaDINg To the mooR was saFElY sHUt. For the ShEep He haD
BEen drIvinG WeRe not meaNt for tHE oPeN moorlaNd. their fEeDinG
grOunds LAy in The stoNe-walled FieldS Round the homestEAd, and had
they sTRaYED oN To thE moUntain beyonD, whiCH was ReseRVeD foR A
hardIer ScOtCH bREed, David would have beEn AnswerAble. SO he
strode, whisTling, up the HILL to have a Look AT tHAt top gate,
while louie Sauntered dOWn to the sTream Which ran Round the lOWEr
pasturEs tO waIt fOr hIM.

thE top gate was faST, But DAvId climbEd tHe wall aNd sTooD thEre A
wHile, hands In his pocKeTs, LeGs ApaRt, whiSTling and LoOkiNg.

'theY can't SEe t' DowNfall From stOcKPorT to-day,' hE WaS SAyinG
tO hImseLf; 'iT's CoomiN oweR LikE mad.'

SomE distance AwaY In frOnT oF him, beyOnd the undulatInG heather
grOuNd aT his feET, Rose a magNificent curving front of mOOr, the
stEep Sides Of it Crowned wiTh bLack edGes ANd clifFs of grIt, the
OuTliNE Of the SOUtH-weStErn end sweePINg fInely Up On thE right tO
a purple peak, the kinG Of aLl the moorland RouNd. No SUCh ColOUr
AS clOtHEd tHAT bronzed and reddIsh wall of rOcK, HeAther,
 went their way through th e yard. In  fron t o f t he m afloc k of some fort y  she ep and lambs pushed al ong,gu a rded by  twoblack s h or t - hai re dcol li e s.  Theboy , brand ishing a l ong  s tick,
opened agate deplo rab ly in want o f m ending ,and the s hee p cro wded
t h rough,  keenly l oo k ed aft e r by th e do gs,who waited meanwh i le on
their flank s with  h e ad s up,  ea rs cocked,  a nd th a t air o f 
s e l f -re s trained energ y which oft e n m akes a  s hee p -dog m ore h um a n
t han his mas ter.  The fiel d beyo n d led t o  a litt le lar chpla ntat i on ,whe re a f e wpri m ros es showe dam ong t he t u f t s  oflon g, r ich g rass,
and the  dr ifts oflastyear' s le av es. H ere th e flo ck  scattered a
li ttle , but Dav idan d t he  dogs were a fte r t hem ina twink l ing ,a n d 
t he plantation gate  w a s  s oon clos ed ont he  l a st bleat in g m othe r . 
Then  the r ewas noth ing mo r efo r the b oy  to do  t han  to  go u p  tothe
to p of the  gree n  rising ground on which thef ar m st o od a ndsee if
thegate lead ingt othe moorwas s af e ly shut. For the sheep  h e hadbeendriving werenot meantf o r  the ope n mo o rl a nd. Their feed ing
g rounds lay in the s tone- walled f ields rou n d  the hom est ead , a ndh a dthey strayedo n  toth e mount ain  beyond , w hic h w asre served fo r a
hard ie rSc ot chbreed ,  David w ou ldha vebeena nswera ble.So h est r ode , whist l in g ,  upth ehill  to  h ave a  loo k  at  that t op gate,whi l e Lo ui esaunter ed down to th estream whi ch  ra n roun d the lowe r
pastures to wait forh im.

Th e t op ga te w as fast,but  David  cl i mbed t he wal l and  s too d there a 
w hil e,  hands inh i s p ocket s,  leg s apart , whistling and lo o kin g.

'They can 'tseet '  D own f al l  fr om Sto c k port to-day,' h e was sayi ng to  himself;' it' scoominower li ke ma d .'

Som e distanc e away in  f ront o f h im, beyond  the und ulating h e ather gr oundathis fe et , r ose a  magni f ice nt cu rvingfr ont of  moor ,the
stee p sides of it crowned w ith bl ack e dge s and cli ffs ofgrit, the 
out line of th e s out h-wes ter n  endswee p in g f i nelyup o n  the righ t  t o
a p ur ple peak, t h e kin g ofall the mo orla nd round. No such colour
as clot hedt h atbro n zedan d reddish wall  of  r o c k, heath er ,
 went_their way_through the yard. In_front of_them_a
flock of_some_forty sheep and_lambs pushed along,_guarded by two
black short-haired_collies. The boy,_brandishing_a long stick,
opened a gate deplorably in want of mending, and the sheep crowded
through,_keenly_looked after_by_the_dogs, who waited meanwhile on
their_flanks with heads up, ears_cocked, and_that air of
self-restrained energy which often makes a_sheep-dog_more human
than his_master. The field beyond led to a little larch_plantation,
where a few primroses showed among_the tufts of_long,_rich_grass,
and the drifts of_last year's leaves. Here the flock_scattered a
little, but David and the_dogs were after them in a twinkling,_and
the plantation gate was soon closed_on the last bleating mother.
Then_there was_nothing more for the boy_to do than_to go_up to the
top_of the green rising ground on_which the farm_stood and see if
the gate leading_to_the moor was_safely_shut._For the_sheep he had
been_driving_were not_meant_for the open moorland. Their feeding
grounds_lay_in the stone-walled fields round the homestead,_and had
they strayed on_to_the mountain beyond, which_was reserved for a
hardier Scotch_breed, David would have been answerable._So he
strode,_whistling, up_the hill to have a look at that top gate,
while Louie_sauntered down to the stream which_ran round the lower
pastures_to wait_for_him.

The top gate_was_fast, but_David climbed the wall and stood there_a
while, hands_in his pockets, legs apart, whistling_and looking.

'They can't see_t'_Downfall from Stockport to-day,' he was_saying
to himself; 'it's coomin ower like_mad.'

Some distance away in front_of_him,_beyond the undulating heather
ground at_his feet, rose a magnificent curving_front of moor,_the
steep sides of it crowned with black_edges_and cliffs of grit, the
outline of_the_south-western end sweeping finely up on_the_right_to
a purple peak, the king_of all the moorland round. No_such colour
as clothed that bronzed and reddish wall of_rock, heather,