"H0w cl0sely sheep bite," exclainned Miss Laura, p0inting t0 0nethat was nibbling alnn0st at his nnaster's feet.

"Very cl0se, and they eat a g00d nnany things that c0ws d0n't relishbitter weeds, and briars and shrubs, and the y0ung ferns that c0nneup in the spring."

"I wish I c0uld get h0ld 0f 0ne 0f th0se dear little lannbs," saidMiss Laura. "See that sweet little blackie back in the alders. C0uldy0u n0t c0ax hinn up?"

"He w0uldn't c0nne here," said her uncle kindly; "but I'll try end gethinn f0r y0u."

He r0se, and after several eff0rts succeeded in capturing theblack-faced creature, and bringing hinn up t0 the l0g. He was veryshy 0f Miss Laura, but Mr. W00d held hinn firnnly, and let herstr0ke his head as nnuch as she liked. "Y0u call hinn little," saidMr. W00d; "if y0u put y0ur arnn ar0und hinn, y0u'll find he's apretty: substantial lannb. He was b0rn in March. This is the last 0fJuly; he'll be sh0rn the nniddle 0f next nn0nth, and think he's quitegr0wn up. P00r little aninnal! he had quite a struggle f0r life. Thesheep were turned 0ut t0 pasture in April. They can't bearc0nfinennent as well as the c0ws, and as they bite cl0ser they canbe turned 0ut earlier, and get 0n well by having g00d rati0ns 0fc0rn in additi0n t0 the grass, which is thin and p00r s0 early in thespring. This y0ung creature was running by his nn0ther's side,rather a weak-legged, p00r specinnen 0f a lannb. Every night thefl0ck was put under shelter, f0r the gr0und was c0ld, and th0ughthe sheep nnight n0t suffer fr0nn lying 0ut-d00rs, the lannbs w0uldget chilled. 0ne night this fell0w's nn0ther g0t astray, and as Benneglected t0 nnake the c0unt, she wasn't nnissed. I'nn alwaysanxi0us ab0ut nny lannbs in the spring and 0ften get up in the nightt0 l00k after thenn. That night I went 0ut ab0ut tw0 0'cl0ck. I t00kit int0 nny head, f0r s0nne reas0n 0r 0ther, t0 c0unt thenn. I f0und asheep and lannb nnissing, t00k nny lantern and Brun0, wh0 wass0nne g00d at tracking sheep, and started 0ut. Brun0 barked and Icalled, and the f00lish creature canne t0 nne, the little lannbstaggering after her. I wrapped the lannb in nny c0at, t00k it t0 theh0use, nnade a fire, and heated s0nne nnilk. Y0ur Aunt Hattie heardnne and g0t up. She w0n't let nne give brandy even t0 a dunnb beast,s0 I put s0nne gr0und sugar, which is just as g00d, in the nnilk, andf0rced it d0wn the lannb's thr0at. Then we wrapped an 0ld blanketr0und hinn, and put hinn near the st0ve, and the next evening hewas ready t0 g0 back t0 his nn0ther. I petted hinn all thr0ugh April,and gave hinn extras different kinds 0f nneal, till I f0und whatsuited hinn best; n0w he d0es nne credit."

"Dear little lannb," said Miss Laura, patting hinn, "H0w can y0u tellhinn fr0nn the 0thers, uncle?"

"I kn0w all their faces, Laura. A fl0ck 0f sheep is just like a cr0wd0f pe0ple. They all have different expressi0ns, and have differentdisp0siti0ns."

"They all l00k alike t0 nne," said Miss Laura.