The quick ears of the sheep caught the sound of their voices. They raised their heads. Donald held out the pan of salt, shaking it gently. In a moment one of the flock started slowly toward them. Donald stopped under one of the large oak trees that grew on the top of the hill. Uncle Robert and Susie stood beside him. The old sheep came nearer. One by one the rest of the flock began to follow. The lambs stopped playing. Susie held out her hand and called softly, "Come, Sally! Come, Billy!"
[Illustration: Feeding the sheep.]
The two little lambs switched their tails and started up the hill. Donald sprinkled a little of the salt on the ground. Then the whole flock broke into a run, and the sheep were soon eagerly licking up the salt as Donald scattered it about for them.
Susie's lambs came straight to her side and began to lick her hands and sniff about her dress.
"They think I have something for them," she said. "Let me have some salt, please, Donald."
Filling each of her hands with salt, she held them out, and the lambs eagerly licked it from the little round palms.
"The cows are down by the creek, uncle," said Donald. "Shall we go to see them? You must see my calf."
"Come on," cried Susie, and began to run as fast as she could go.
The little lambs, always ready for a play, skipped about her. How merrily Susie did laugh as they ran ahead and then turned around with their noses to the ground and their tails in the air, waiting for her to come and catch them!
"They always want me to play with them," she said, quite out of breath, when Uncle Robert and Donald caught up.