Flash the Sheep Dog by Kathleen Fidler

Author:Kathleen Fidler [Kathleen Fidler]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781782505044
Publisher: Floris Books
Published: 2018-08-17T16:00:00+00:00

“I–I can’t go on, Elspeth. My ankle hurts a lot,” Tom had to admit. “This ground seems pretty dry and the grass is short. Let’s rest a bit and try shouting to get help.”

They sat down by the bushes and began to cry “Help! Help! Come and find us! Help!”

At Birkhope Mrs Meggetson had watched the mist close round the farm steading. With anxious eyes she peered through the kitchen window as it thickened and blotted out the landscape. Now and again she cast a glance at the clock. When the time came and passed for Tom and Elspeth to return, she went to the door and tried to penetrate the white wool of the fog.

“John! John!” she cried.

John Meggetson came from the byre where he had been milking the cows.

“What’s wrong, lass?”

“The fog, John! It’s thicker than ever. The bairns have not come back. It’s an hour past their time and there’s no sign of them.”

John Meggetson looked slightly uneasy but he tried to laugh off his wife’s fears.

“Maybe they’re just playing in the school yard. You know what bairns are! Perhaps they’ve been kept in for careless work.”

“On a night like this? Surely not? Mr Donaldson always lets the children away early in bad weather.”

“We can soon find out about that.” Meggetson strode briskly to the telephone. He dialled the schoolhouse number and Mr Donaldson replied.

“Were the children away from the school at the usual time, Mr Donaldson? Tom and Elspeth haven’t shown up yet and the wife’s getting a bit anxious as the fog’s thickening.”

When Mr Donaldson answered John exclaimed urgently, “What’s that you’re telling me? An hour earlier than usual? Then they should have been home nigh on two hours ago. Where can they have got?”

“What is it, John?” Mrs Meggetson asked in a voice that was sharp with anxiety.

“Wheesht, lass! Let me hear what Mr Donaldson says.” He listened for a minute, then replied, “Right, Mr Donaldson! I’ll do that. Aye, I’ll bring a torch, for dark’s beginning to fall. You’ll go as far as the crossroads too? Right! I’ll meet you there.” He put down the receiver and turned to his wife. “The children left school an hour earlier because of the fog. I’m going to look for them, lass. Mr Donaldson is going to search along the road from his end too. I’ll take Jeff wi’ me.” He took his stick and made for the door. Suddenly Flash was whimpering at his heels.

“Take Flash with you!” his wife said. “If anyone can find Tom it will be Flash.”

Flash gave an eager whine as if he understood.

“I’ll take them both. Flash can go on the lead and Jeff can trot behind. Cheer up, wumman! There’s no cause to look doleful. They’ll just have strayed off the path.”

“The river was in spate today,” Jane Meggetson reminded him. “Pray God they haven’t gone down by the river!”

“Come on, Flash! We’ll fetch Tom.” Meggetson snapped on the lead. Flash barked eagerly and as soon as they were outside, he tugged at the lead, setting a pace that John Meggetson found hard to follow in the fog.

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