The Wee Scotch Piper Page 6

  CHAPTER VI

  IAN'S BETTY

  For many weeks after Sandy's departure from Aberfoyle, Ian tended thelamb carefully. He fed it from a baby's bottle. The young creature grewstrong and fat. It would follow the boy around as though it knew him tobe its nurse.

  It was a loving little animal, and Ian became very fond of it. He wouldtake it with him when he sat with his father upon the hill where Royguarded the other sheep.

  It did not mingle with the others, for it was an orphan. It knew thatit did not belong with the flock. Sheep are not like people. Humanbeings, seeing a motherless child, would strive to protect it withtheir own young ones.

  IAN FED BETTY FROM A NURSING BOTTLE]

  So the task of protector and nurse fell to Ian. He loved to feel thewee one's soft fur against his cheek as it lay on the hill with him. Heliked to feed it from its bottle and hear the soft, gurgling noises itmade.

  It amused him to see its tail waggled so rapidly after each mouthful ofmilk. This is the way it showed Ian how well it liked its dinner. Andas Ian felt the lamb, warm and soft in his arms, he seemed to feelthere something else--his beloved bagpipes!

  Much to the amusement of his parents, Ian called the lamb Betty, hisbaby sister's name. He felt that it was as helpless and young as she.

  Very often they both sucked from their nursing bottles at the sametime. While they were doing this, they looked at each other with big,wondering eyes. Ian often sat and admired the pair and laughingly saidto his mother, "Your baby and my baby, Mother."

  So the days flew by, and the summer wore on. Soon the school bell beganto ring out again. It told the children that another term wasbeginning.

  Ian was loth to leave his happy pastimes in field and on hill. However,he, like all Scotch children, was anxious to learn. So one morning, hestrapped his book bag on his back and started off to school.

  That was a lonely day for the lamb Betty. She was lonely because heryoung guardian had hardly ever left her side. The lamb was clearlyworried and bleated unmercifully until Ian returned from school.

  IAN HOME FROM SCHOOL]

  When, the next day, the same thing happened, Ian's pet could stand itno longer and started out to find him.

  Every child in the world knows the song about "Mary's little lamb."That day, as Betty marched herself up the steps of Ian's schoolhouse, achorus of childish voices sang out:

  "Ian had a wee, wee lamb; It followed him to school!"

  There was much merriment as Ian hurriedly packed Betty off to her home.Like the teacher in the song, this teacher had difficulty in restoringorder.

  It was also a flushed and embarrassed Ian who returned to hisclassroom. That evening he lectured Betty upon behavior for lambs!

  However, Betty was either disobedient or else too young to understandIan's lecture. The next day she tried to repeat her performance. Shestarted off on a gallop to find her young master. I say, "tried," foralas, this time poor Betty could not find Ian's school!

  For many hours she wandered about. She went farther and farther, notonly from school but from home. Evening fell, and Betty was bleatingalone in a dense forest--lost!

  At last Ian returned from school. For several moments, he could notunderstand why Betty did not come to meet him. He stood and gazedabout. Then a terrible thought came to him.

  LOST!]

  Rushing to his father on the hillside, he asked excitedly for his pet.Alan Craig shook his head sadly.

  "I've sent Roy again, laddie, but he's returned once alone. I fear thebeastie is lost."

  Lost! Ian's world fell about him. The sound of distant bagpipes seemedto resound dully in his ears. The words of Sandy came to him throughthe dim: "In the spring, if this beastie is fine, and you have doneyour duty--"

  His duty! And poor Betty! Where could she be? A little lonely creature,more baby than animal, tended so carefully, and unused to the thornsand sharp rocks of the hills--alone and lost!

  "Father!" was all that Ian could gasp. Just then he saw Roy comingtoward them, his tail between his legs. An expression of failure was inhis shepherd eyes.

  "Roy, lad, can you not find her?" asked Ian.

  Ian threw his school books off his back. Kneeling, he put his armsaround the neck of Roy. Roy answered in his own way. It was as clear toIan as though the dog had cried out to him, "No, laddie, she's lost,lost!"

  And if a sheep was lost to Roy, it was indeed a lost sheep! For theclever dog would smell a sheep for many miles. He would, in fact,encounter any danger to bring a straggler back to the fold.

  Still, thought Ian, Betty was not really one of the fold. It waspossible that Roy's experience did not fit him to scent out tame pets.

  "I'm going to look, Father," shouted the heartbroken boy.

  Calling Roy, he started off on a run. The father shook his head andfelt a great pity for his little son.