"I don't know that they do. I guess it's nature that tends to that, too. But there's a lot that nature is too busy to tend to. Then it's all up to the herder." "Lambs are really quite dependent upon human care, then, are n't they?" "Oh, yes. That is, if you want to try and save them all--like that one." He pointed to the occupant of her lap. "A lamb has got to get a meal right away, and a little sleep, and not get too chilled, or wet. Then if his mother and him stick together till they know each other by voice and smell, his chances are all right. After that you could n't lose him." "How long will it be, Mr. Brown, before everything is running that way?" "It will start in just a few days. Just as soon as we get the lamb band going." "The lamb band?" she queried. "We have some lambs there in the corral now. Well, all that come to-morrow will go in with them, and in a day or two all that are strong and active will go out with their mothers and be the lamb band. All the others that have n't dropped lambs yet are called the drop band; they travel too much for lambs. Sheep with lambs ought to go out together and be handled separate. Well, whenever a lamb is born in the drop band, he is brought home to the corral; then when he knows things and is a little stronger he goes out with the lamb band; that way we keep advancing them right along, same as in school. First in the First Reader, then in the Second Reader, and so on." "Oh, I see," said Janet, growing more deeply interested. "And it is n't very long, of course, till they have all gone through and are in one band again. The lambs are all having a high old time and managing for themselves; and then one man can handle them again. The worst of the trouble is over, and there are not so many things to do all at once." This seemed to exhaust the subject. "What are you going to do to-morrow?" she inquired. "Well, if I was sure that the herder was coming, I would just take them out and let the lambs drop behind, the same as to-day. Then if he brings the wagon along, as I told him to, he could get them in--that is, if there are a great many of them. There might not be many lambs come; but the trouble is that you can't tell. If I thought there were going to be a great many lambs, and he was n't coming right away, I would keep the whole bunch here and not take them out at all--that is, I would if I had feed. But I could hardly feed twelve hundred sheep on a mere chance if I had it to spare. But then, I don't think he will stay away any longer. I 'll just take them out." "Really, it is quite a problem, is n't it?" "That's just what I was beginning to think," he replied. "How many lambs might there be in the next day or two, if they really started coming?" "Maybe two or three hundred." "Two or--!" The words died out as Janet looked down in her lap and considered the one. He was resting comfortably. "Two--or--three--hundred," she repeated vacantly. CHAPTER IX