Farmer Hill looked at his watch; then he went to the bars at the head of the long lane and began putting them down.
Rover, seeing this, came running up to him. "Yes, Rover," said Farmer Hill, "it is time to go for the cows."
Down the long lane trotted Rover, past the apple orchard, past the clover field, past the field of wheat stubble, to the thirteen-acre lot.
In the farthest corner of the field, with her feet in the cool water of the pond, was the Big Red Cow. Near-by, under the elm trees, were all the other cows lying on the grass.
Straight to the Big Red Cow ran Rover and barked. The cow knew what that meant. It said, "You must go home to the barn." So she started toward the lane.
Then all the other cows followed.
Rover came trotting along behind, barking sometimes if they tried to turn back.
So they all went up the long, long lane toward the old red barn--the Big Red Cow, the White Cow, the Black Cow, the two Speckled Cows and the Little Red Cow.
[Illustration: "'You must go home to the barn'"]
Past the field of wheat stubble, past the clover field, and along the orchard fence, they went.
As they came near the harvest apple tree, the Big Red Cow smelled the apples. Now next to fresh green corn, cows like apples better than anything else. So the Big Red Cow tried to jump over the rail fence, to get some apples.
She might have gotten over; but Rover ran up to her and barked and snapped at her heels with his sharp teeth, until she started on again.
So all the cows went up the lane and through the bars into the barn-yard. They drank the cool water in the watering trough and then went into their stalls in the stable.
Farmer Hill turned to Rover and said, "Good dog, good dog!"
Rover wagged his tail very hard. He liked to bring the cows from pasture.
Then he went to the windmill to wait till the children should come with their tin cups to drink the nice warm milk at milking time.
[Illustration: HOW ROVER RESCUED LITTLE YELLOW CHICK]
VI
Mrs. Plymouth Rock lived in the chicken coop out by the wood-pile with her brood of eleven chicks. There were black chicks and yellow chicks, but the nicest of all was Little Yellow Chick.
Mother Hen always stayed in the coop.
The little chicks would jump out between the slats and go off through the grass and into the driveway and among the chips of the wood-pile.
When Mother Hen wanted them to come home she would call, "Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck!" and all the little chicks would come running to the coop.
One hot summer afternoon, Mrs. Hill was sitting on the back porch mending stockings. All the big hens were scattered around the place--some in the garden, some in the cornfield, some in the farmyard--scratching for bugs and worms.
Suddenly there was a great cackling and scurrying among the fowls.
Those in the garden ran and cackled, those in the cornfield ran and cackled, those in the farmyard ran and cackled. They all ran as fast as they could to the hen house.
Mrs. Hill, hearing the commotion, stood up and looked around to see what was the matter.
There in the sky coming toward the farmyard, was a large gray hen hawk.
Old Mother Hen heard the cries of the other fowls and knew there was danger, so she called her chicks to come home. "Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck!" went Mother Hen.
All the little chicks tried to run home to the chicken coop. They ran as fast as their little short legs could carry them.
Little Yellow Chick could not run fast. He tried very hard, but stumbled over a chip near the wood-pile.
The hawk up in the sky with his sharp eye saw Little Yellow Chick and flew straight toward him.
Old Mother Hen could not help Little Yellow Chick, for she could not get out of the coop.
[Illustration: "Rover snapped at him with his sharp white teeth"]
Mrs. Hill ran toward him, but she could not help him for she could not run fast enough.
But Rover, lying under the pine tree in the front yard, heard the commotion and came running like the wind past Mrs. Hill.
He jumped at the fierce hawk and snapped at him with his sharp white teeth, just as the hawk was swooping to pick up Little Yellow Chick.
When Mr. Hawk heard the barking and saw Rover dash towards him he forgot about wanting to eat Little Yellow Chick and flew away as fast as he could.
He flew up into the sky and over the woods and far away.
Mrs. Hill picked up Little Yellow Chick and carried him to Old Mother Hen in the coop. Old Mother Hen took him safely under her wing.
"Good dog, good dog!" said Mrs. Hill to Rover as she patted his neck.
Mrs. Hill went back to mending stockings on the porch.
But Rover lay down near the hen-coop to guard Little Yellow Chick.
[Illustration: PRINCE BRINGS HOME THE GROCERIES]
VII
The Big City was ten miles from Cloverfield Farm. Farmer Hill had to go there often on business. Mrs. Hill had to go there to buy shoes and clothing. Sometimes they drove, but if they were in a hurry they went to the village a mile away and took the train.
"I must go to the city to-day to attend to some important business,"
said father one morning. "It will not take long, so I will go down on the nine o'clock train and back on the eleven."