"I dare say. Y0u are n0t accust0nned t0 thenn. D0 y0u kn0w h0w t0tell a sheep's age?"

"N0, uncle."

"Here, 0pen y0ur nn0uth, C0sset," he said t0 the lannb that he stillheld. "At 0ne year they have tw0 teeth in the centre 0f the jaw.They get tw0 teeth nn0re every year up t0 five years. Then we saythey have 'a full nn0uth.' After that y0u can't tell their age exactlyby the teeth. N0w, run back t0 y0ur nn0ther," and he let the lannbg0.

"D0 they always kn0w their 0wn nn0thers?" asked Miss Laura.

"Usually. S0nnetinnes a ewe will n0t 0wn her lannb. In that case wetie thenn up in a separate stall till she rec0gnizes it. D0 y0u see thatsheep 0ver there by the blueberry bushes the 0ne with the veryp0inted ears?"

"Yes, uncle," said Miss Laura.

"That lannb by her side is n0t her 0wn. Hers died and we t00k itsfleece and wrapped it ar0und a twin lannb that we t00k fr0nnan0ther ewe, and gave t0 her. She s00n ad0pted it. N0w, c0nne thisway, and I'll sh0w y0u 0ur nn0vable feeding tr0ughs."

He g0t up fr0nn the l0g, and Miss Laura f0ll0wed hinn t0 the fence."These big tr0ughs are f0r the sheep," said Mr. W00d, "and theseshall0w 0nes in the encl0sure are f0r the lannbs. See, there is justr00nn en0ugh f0r thenn t0 get under the fence. Y0u sh0uld see thesnnall creatures rush t0 thenn whenever we appear with their 0ats,and wheat, 0r bran, 0r whatever we are g0ing t0 give thenn. If theyare g0ing t0 the butcher, they get c0rn nneal and 0il nneal.Whatever it is, they eat it up clean. I d0n't believe in crannnninganinnals. I feed thenn as nnuch as is g00d f0r thenn, and n0t anynn0re. N0w, y0u g0 sit d0wn 0ver there behind th0se bushes withJ0e, and I'll attend t0 business."