Jimmie, lived with his aged grandfather, a poor shepherd nearly eighty years old, whose wife and children were all dead. During the day Jimmie tended the flock, accompanied by Watch, the faithful and much-loved sheepdog; and of an evening he read aloud of the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep.
One day Jimmie left the flock, and on his return found four of the sheep missing, Hastening home he told his grandfather, who said,
“The sheep are probably gone to the right side of the mountain to reach the other pastures. Go, look for them there, my child, and make haste, for it will soon snow. Then bring home your flock quickly.”
Away the boy ran. The snow began to fall, slowly at first, and then harder. Soon nearly everything was hidden from view.
At home the grandfather had begun to regret having sent the boy alone; for he well knew the danger of his losing his way and freezing to death. For a long time the old man sat near the window, listening anxiously for the expected footfall. When the clock struck seven the old man fell on his knees in the deepening darkness, and prayed God to restore his poor child.
He was about to start to call upon a neighbor, named Mackie, when he heard a scratching at the door. It was Watch.
When the aged shepherd opened the door, the dog ran a little distance and then came back, showing that he wanted to lead the way to where his young master was.
The grandfather went without delay to his neighbor, who started off at once to find the missing boy.
On they went as fast as Mackie could go, Watch always keeping ahead impatiently urging him on. Suddenly he stopped and while whining loudly, he dug furiously in the snow. As Mackie came up he heard a feeble voice saying, “Help me, save me,” and saw little Jimmie’s head above the snow.
With some difficulty Mackie took him out and carried him home. There he put him to bed and rubbed his benumbed limbs while his kindly wife fed him hot porridge, Old Robin, the grandfather, whose heart was lifted up in thanksgivings to God for saving his boy, watched near the bed.
The next morning Jimmie was much recovered, and while Watch lay at his feet at the breakfast table, he told the story of what had befallen them.
Jimmie had searched along the mountain side, until, stumbling from weariness, he had fallen into the hole where he had been found. Watch had tried to drag him out, but failing, he ran off to the cottage and scratched for help. When left alone, Jimmie had cried to God to take him out of that dreadful place.
Thus two prayers were answered; two persons had cried to God in their trouble, and were heard. It reminds us of the passage in the Psalms,
There is no sorrow, no trial, no difficulty in which the believer cannot look up to God, and count upon His loving kindness and tender care.
ML 11/22/1936