midnight
Though he had never turned a sheep in his life , as soon as he discovered it was his duty to do so he began with eagerness and anxiety to learn his evolutions . He would try every way deliberately till he found out what his master wanted him to do ; and when once he understood a direction he never forgot it again or mistook it . Often , when hard pressed in accomplishing a task he was put to , he had expedients for the moment that bespoke a great share of the reasoning faculty . On one occasion about seven hundred lambs which were under Hogg 's care at weaning-time broke up at midnight , and scampered off in three divisions across the neighbouring hills , in spite of all he and an assistant could do to keep them together . The night was so dark that Sirrah could not be seen , but the faithful animal had heard his master lament their absence in words which set him at once on the alert , and without more ado he had silently gone off in quest of the recreant flock . In vain Hogg and his assistant spent the whole night in searching for their lost charge ; and they were on their way home to inform their master of their loss , when they discovered a lot of lambs at the bottom of a deep ravine , and the indefatigable Sirrah standing in front of them , looking round for some relief , but still true to his charge . Believing that it was one only of the divisions , what was their astonishment when they discovered the whole flock , and not one lamb a-wanting !