Then he saw John rising out of the water and Father helping him back to land. "Old Bell Wether played us a sharp trick," said Mr. Hill. "Oh, Father," shouted Bobby, "he is almost across the creek. He'll surely get away." Farmer Hill was watching the pair of horns. "We'll get him," said he. He started toward the bridge, catching up a rope as he went. Hobson followed. Before they could run across the bridge, Old Bell Wether walked up out of the creek and started toward home. But he was tired after his swim, and his wool was heavy with water. They soon overtook him and drove him into a corner of the rail fence at the side of the road. "Now we have you," said Farmer Hill, as he threw the rope over his horns. [Illustration: "Before they could run across the bridge, Old Bell Wether walked up out of the creek and started for home"] Old Bell Wether had to submit and be led back over the bridge to the sheep-pen. "You won't do that again, old boy," said John. "I'll be ready for you this time." The men took him out into the water again. Keeping his head up so that he could breathe, they washed his long wool until it was quite clean. Then they led him out of the water, into another sheep-pen, which had been built to hold the sheep after they were washed. After all the sheep had been washed clean and white, they were started home again. When they were part way home, they met another flock of sheep coming down the road. "Drive ours up next to the fence," said Farmer Hill, "so they will not get mixed with that flock." So they were driven up by the fence and kept there until the other flock had passed on their way to be washed. Bobby rode with Father in the buggy the rest of the way. "How do they get the wool off the sheep?" he asked. "That," said Father, "will be something more for you to see, another time. You won't have to wait many days." Bobby had a great story to tell Mother and Sue that night. [Illustration: THE SHEEP SHEARING] V A few days after the sheep had been washed at the creek, a strange man named Mr. Price came to Cloverfield Farm one morning. "If you want to see something interesting," said Father to Bobby, "you may come along with us." They all went down to the Old Red Barn, and Bobby noticed that the flock of sheep had been driven into the basement. On the basement floor, near the gate which shut the sheep in their pen, they put down a platform of boards, about six feet square. Then Mr. Price took several strange-looking things out of his bag. "What is that?" asked Bobby, pointing to one of them. "That is a pair of shears," said Mr. Price. "They do not look like my Mother's shears," said Bobby. "No, they don't," said Mr. Price. "But these are sheep-shears." "Oh, I know," shouted Bobby, jumping up and down; "you are going to shear the sheep." "Right, my boy," said the man. "Now keep your eyes open."