Prince and Rover of Cloverfield Farm

by Helen Fuller Orton

V

Down on Cloverfield Farm the afternoon sun was sinking toward the West.

The swallows were coming home to their nests in the barn and a gentle breeze was starting the windmill.

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.