The stranger seated himself upon the rude steps. Below and far
away he saw the low hills, rolling ridge on ridge like the waves
of a great sea, until in the blue distance they were so lost in
the sky that he could not say which was mountain and which was
cloud. His poet heart was stirred at sight of the vast reaches of
the forest all shifting light and shadows; the cool depths of the
near-by woods with the sunlight filtering through the leafy arches
in streaks and patches of gold on green; and the wide, wide sky
with fleets of cloud ships sailing to unseen ports below the
hills.

The man sat very still, and as he looked the worn face changed;
once, as if at some pleasing memory, he smiled. A gray squirrel
with bright eyes full of curious regard peeped over the limb of an
oak; a red bird hopping from bush to bush whistled to his mate;
and a bob-white's quick call came from a nearby thicket.

The dreamer was aroused at last by the musical tinkle of a bell.
He turned his face toward the sound, but could see nothing. The
bell was coming nearer; it came nearer still. Then he saw here and
there through the trees small, moving patches of white; an old ewe
followed by two lambs came from behind a clump of bushes, and the
moving patches of white shaped themselves into other sheep feeding
in the timber.

Mr. Howitt sat quite still, and, while the old ewe paused to look
at him, the lambs took advantage of the opportunity, until their
mother was satisfied with her inspection, and by moving on, upset
them. Soon the whole flock surrounded him, and, after the first
lingering look of inquiry, paid no heed to his presence.