asvexedtotheinmostrecessesofhistinysoul。Hestaredstuidlyafterthesheeforhalfaminute,thengavetheorder,“Wully,fetchthemin。”Afterthismentalefforthesatdown,lithisie,andtakingouthisknittingbeganworkonahalf-finishedsock。
ToWullythevoiceofRobinwasthevoiceofGod。Awayheranin374differentdirections,andheadedoffandroundeduthe374differentwanderers,andbroughtthembacktotheferry-housebeforeRobin,whowasstolidlywatchingtherocess,hadtoedoffhissock。
FinallyWully—notRobin—gavethesignthatallwerein。Theoldsheherdroceededtocountthem—370,371,372,373。
“Wully,”hesaidreroachfully,“tharno‘a’here。Thur’sanither。”AndWully,stungwithshame,boundedofftoscourthewholecityforthemissingone。HewasnotlonggonewhenasmallboyointedouttoRobinthatthesheewereallthere,thewhole374。NowRobinwasinaquandary。HisorderwastohastenontoYorkshire,andyetheknewthatWully’sridewouldreventhiscomingbackwithoutanothershee,evenifhehadtostealit。Suchthingshadhaenedbefore,andresultedinembarrassingcomlications。WhatshouldhedoTherewasfiveshillingsaweekatstake。Wullywasagooddog,itwasaitytolosehim,butthen,hisordersfromthemaster;andagain,ifWullystoleanextrasheetomakeuthenumber,thenwhat—inaforeignlandtooHedecidedtoabandonWully,andushonalonewiththeshee。Andhowhefarednooneknowsorcares。
Meanwhile,Wullycareeredthroughmilesofstreetshuntinginvainforhislostshee。Alldayhesearched,andatnight,famishedandwornout,hesneakedshamefacedlybacktotheferry,onlytofindthatmasterandsheehadgone。Hissorrowwasitifultosee。Heranaboutwhimering,thentooktheferryboatacrosstotheotherside,andsearchedeverywhereforRobin。HereturnedtoSouthShieldsandsearchedthere,andsenttherestofthenightseekingforhiswretchedidol。Thenextdayhecontinuedhissearch,hecrossedandrecrossedtherivermanytimes。Hewatchedandsmelteveryonethatcameover,andwithsignificantshrewdnesshesoughtunceasinglyintheneighboringtavernsforhismaster。Thenextdayhesettoworksystematicallytosmelleveryonethatmightcrosstheferry。
Theferrymakesfiftytrisaday,withanaverageofonehundredersonsatri,yetneveroncedidWullyfailtobeonthegang-lankandsmelleveryairoflegsthatcrossed—5,000airs,10,000legsthatdaydidWullyexamineafterhisownfashion。Andthenextday,andthenext,andalltheweekhekethisost,andseemedindifferenttofeedinghimself。Soonstarvationandworrybegantotellonhim。Hegrewthinandill-temered。Noonecouldtouchhim,andanyattemttointerferewithhisdailyoccuationofleg-smellingrousedhimtodeseration。
Dayafterday,weekafterweekWullywatchedandwaitedforhismaster,whonevercame。TheferrymenlearnedtoresectWully’sfidelity。Atfirsthescornedtheirrofferedfoodandshelter,andlivednooneknewhow,butstarvedtoitatlast,heaccetedthegiftsandlearnedtotoleratethegivers。Althoughembitteredagainsttheworld,hisheartwastruetohisworthlessmaster。
FourteenmonthsafterwardImadehisacquaintance。Hewasstillonrigiddutyathisost。Hehadregainedhisgoodlooks。Hisbright,keenfacesetoffbyhiswhiteruffandrickedearsmadeadogtocatchtheeyeanywhere。Buthegavemenosecondglance,oncehefoundmylegswerenotthosehesought,andinsiteofmyfriendlyoverturesduringthetenmonthsfollowingthathecontinuedhiswatch,Igotnofartherintohisconfidencethananyotherstranger。
Fortwowholeyearsdidthisdevotedcreatureattendthatferry。Therewasonlyonethingtoreventhimgoinghometothehills,notthedistancenorthechanceofgettinglost,buttheconvictionthatRobin,thegodlikeRobin,wishedhimtostaybytheferry;andhestayed。
Buthecrossedthewaterasoftenashefeltitwouldservehisurose。Thefareforadogwasoneenny,anditwascalculatedthatWullyowedthecomanyhundredsofoundsbeforehegaveuhisquest。Heneverfailedtosenseeveryairofnethersthatcrossedthegang-lank—6,000,000legsbycomutationhadbeenronounceduonbythisexert。Butalltonourose。Hisunswervingfidelityneverfaltered,thoughhistemerwasobviouslysouringunderthelongstrain。
WehadneverheardwhatbecameofRobin,butonedayasturdydroverstrodedowntheferry-sliandWullymechanicallyassayingthenewersonality,suddenlystarted,hismanebristled,hetrembled,alowgrowlescaedhim,andhefixedhiseverysenseonthedrover。
Oneoftheferryhandsnotunderstanding,calledtothestranger,“Heybuddy,don’thurtthatdog。”
“It’shimwhohurtme。”Butfurtherexlanationwasnotnecessary。Wully’smannerhadwhollychanged。Hefawnedonthedrover,andhistailwaswaggingviolentlyforthefirsttimeinyears。
Afewwordsmadeitallclear。Dorley,thedrover,hadknownRobinverywell,andthemittensandcomforterheworewereofRobin’sownmakeandhadoncebeenartofhiswardrobe。Wullyrecognizedthetracesofhismaster,anddesairingofanyneareraroachtohislostidol,heabandonedhisostattheferryandlainlyannouncedhisintentionofstickingtotheownerofthemittens,andDorleywaswellleasedtotakeWullyalongtohishomeamongthehillsofDerbyshire,wherehebecameoncemoreashee-doginchargeofaflock。
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