up!" The sheep were evidently much scattered, to judge from the bleating, but
here, there, and everywhere, they could hear Jack's bark, while Chad seemed to
have stopped in the woods and, from one place, was shouting orders to his dog.
Plainly, Jack was no sheep-killer and by and by Dolph and Rube left off
shouting, and old Joel's face became placid and all of them from swearing
helplessly fell to waiting quietly. Soon the bleating became less and less,
and began to concentrate on the mountain-side. Not far below, they could hear
Chad:

Coo-oo-sheep! Coo-oo-sh'p-cooshy-cooshy-coo-oo-sheep!"

The sheep were answering. They were coming down a ravine, and Chad's voice
rang out above:

"Somebody come across, an' stand on each side o' the holler."

Dolph and Rube waded across then, and soon the sheep came crowding down the
narrow ravine with Jack barking behind them and Chad shooing them down. But
for Dolph and Rube, Beelzebub would have led them up or down the river, and it
was hard work to get him into the water until Jack, who seemed to know what
the matter was, sharply nipped several sheep near him. These sprang violently
forward, the whole flock in front pushed forward, too, and Beelzebub was
thrust from the bank. Nothing else being possible, the old ram settled himself
with a snort into the water and made for the other shore. Chad and Jack
followed and, when they reached the road, Beelzebub was again a prisoner; the
sheep, swollen like sponges, were straggling down the river, and Dillons and
Turners were standing around in silence. Jack shook himself and dropped
panting in the dust at his master's feet, without so much as an upward glance
or a lift of his head for a pat of praise. As old Joel raised one foot heavily
to his stirrup, he grunted, quietly: