THE SHEPHERD BOY AND HIS DOG, 63 
tage, You may imagine the misery and grief the 
poor mother suffered, alone in her mountain 
dwelliug, the snow and the wind beating round 
her solitary cot, the certainty of her son’s danger 
and the fear lest her husband also might perish. 
She felt that both their Kvos depended on the 
Sagacity of a poor dog; but she knew that God 
could guide the dumb creature’s steps to the sav- 
ing of both; and she clasped her hands, and fer- 
vently prayed that God would not desert her in 
the most severe trial she had ever met. 
Shag went on straight and steadily for some 
yards, and then suddenly turned down a path 
which led to the bottom of the crag overiwhich 
Halbert had fallen. The descent was steep and 
dangerous, and Malcolm was frequently obliged 
to support himself by the frozen branches of the 
trees. Providentially, however, it had ceased 
Snowing, and the clouds were drifting fast from 
the moon. At last, Malcolm stood at the lower 
and opposite edge of the pit into which his son 
had fallen;—he hallooed—he strained his eyes, 
but could not see or hear any thing. Shag was 
making his way down an almost perpendicular 
height, and Malcolm resolved at all hazards to 
follow him. After getting to the bottom, Shag 
scrambled to a projecting ledge of rock, which 
was ncarly embedded in snow, and commenced 
whining and seratching in a violent manner. Mal- 
colm followed, and after some scarch, found what 
appeared the dead body of his son. He hastily 
tore off the jacket, which was soaked with blood 
and suow, and, wrapping Halbert in his plaid, 
strapped him across his shoulders,and with much