Another anecdote, which relates to the Winterbourne Bishop period, is a somewhat painful one, and is partly about Monk, the sheep-dog already described as a hunter of foxes, and his tragic end. Caleb had worked him for a time, but when he came into possession of Watch he gave Monk to his younger brother David, who was under-shepherd on the same farm.
One morning Caleb was with the ewes in a field, when David, who was in charge of the lambs two or three fields away, came to him looking very strange—very much put out.
"What are you here for—what's wrong with 'ee?" demanded Caleb.
"Nothing's wrong," returned the other.
"Where's Monk then?" asked Caleb.
"Dead," said David.
"Dead! How's he dead?"
"I killed'n. He wouldn't mind me and made me mad, and I up with my stick and gave him one crack on the head and it killed'n."
"You killed 'n!" exclaimed Caleb. "An' you come here an' tell I nothing's wrong! Is that a right way to speak of such a thing as that? What be you thinking of? And what be you going to do with the lambs?"
"I'm just going back to them—I'm going to do without a dog. I'm going to put them in the rape and they'll be all right."