Friends and Helpers | Page 5

open it.
"Rover has come back!" cried little Jessie.
"The sheep have come back!" said their mother, looking out into the
yard. Yes, there were the sheep,--every one of them safe and sound.
And there beside them, wagging his tail with joy and pride, was poor,
tired, cold, hungry Rover. He was hoarse from barking and breathless
from running, but he was the happiest dog in all the world.
The unhappy sheep had paid dearly for their wish to get out. They were

glad to go back into their warm shed and eat a good meal of turnips. As
for Rover, he was treated like a prince. He had the supper he liked best,
and a soft bed was made for him near the fire. He put his curly head
down on his paws and went to sleep, while Sandy and Jessie watched
him lovingly. How far he had tramped over the hills or how he had
found the sheep he could not tell.
"He is tired out," said the shepherd. "He must have a long rest now, for
he has earned it. Good, faithful, grateful Rover!"

FAMOUS DOGS.
The story of the dog Argus was told two thousand years ago by the
great Greek poet, Homer. Argus may not have been a real dog, but the
poet must have known some dog like him or he could not have told the
story so well.
Argus belonged to Ulysses, king of Ithaca. He was only a puppy when
his master went away to the Trojan war. The years went by and Ulysses
did not return. Every one thought that he was dead. At last Argus grew
so old and feeble that he could not run about the palace. All day long he
lay in the warm, sunny courtyard, too weak to move. It was twenty
years since he had heard his master's voice.
One day a beggar came into the courtyard. No one knew who he was.
The queen looked at him coldly. There was no friendly face to greet
him. But the old dog lifted up his head and whined and wagged his tail
for joy. The beggar's rags could not deceive him. He knew his master
had come back at last, and Ulysses stooped to caress him with tears in
his eyes.
The most famous dog in the world was a mastiff of St. Bernard's. His
name was Barry. He lived high up in the Alps where it is winter the
greater part of the year. He was trained, by the good monks with whom
he lived, to go out and hunt for travelers lost in the snow. When he
found a man lying half-frozen in the drifts, he would run back, barking
for help. Then the monks would follow him and bring the traveler to
their warm house.
[Illustration: THE CONNOISSEURS. By Sir Edwin Landseer.]
Barry knew all the dangerous places, and when there had been a snow
slide he was sure to be on the spot as soon as he could, to see if any one
were hurt. Once he found a little, boy in the snow and in some way

made him understand what he must do. The child climbed upon the
dog's broad back and was carried safely to the fire and the good supper
always waiting for the lost ones.
Barry lived with, the monks for twelve years, and saved forty lives.
Other St. Bernard dogs have been brave and wise, but Barry's name
stands first among them all.
Many great men have had dogs whom they loved and trusted. Sir
Walter Scott, one of the most famous story-writers that ever lived, had
several dogs. He used to take them with him whenever he went to walk.
There was an old staghound named Maida, and a black greyhound
called Hamlet, after one of Shakespeare's heroes. Then there was a
beautiful setter with long ears and a silky coat. Her name was Finette.
Sir Walter would often stop and talk to these four-footed friends and
they seemed to understand what he said. In one of his best stories a dog
plays a very important part.
Dr. John Brown was another Scotch writer who loved dogs. He gave an
account of his pets in a book called "Spare Hours." He wrote the story
of "Rab and his Friends," a tribute of which any dog might be proud.
There was a great artist named Landseer, who painted his dogs' pictures
so wonderfully that we know he must have loved them very much. In
one picture he shows his two dogs looking over his shoulder at his
drawing. He gave them a very long name which means "Those who
know all about it"; but I am sure he did not laugh at them unkindly.
Dogs do not like