"Oh, you're all a parcel of nincompoops!" exclaimed the captain quite
roused at this. "I'll show you how a seaman can manage it!" With that,
catching hold of the side lines, he went down the ladder again like
winking and into the launch alongside.

Here, the cow, which looked even more enraged than Captain Miles, stood
in the centre of the boat, with the negroes who had pulled out the live
load from shore, standing up in the bows and on the gunwales, so as to
be out of the reach of the infuriated animal, which every now and then
made a rush at some black leg or other, making the owner yell out and
try to avoid the butt.

"Pass down a whip with a spare bit of canvas," sang out the captain,
sitting down in the stern-sheets; and on receiving these articles he set
to work to make a sort of broad belt to pass under the cow's stomach, in
the same way as is done with horses about to be shipped on board
transports when cavalry regiments are embarking.

When he had made the sling to his satisfaction, satisfying himself that
it was strong enough by attaching it to his own person and then making
the crew haul him up, his sixteen stone weight being some criterion to
go by, he ordered those at the derrick to lower him down again; and
then, with a halter all ready, which he threw over the animal's head, he
advanced bravely towards the cow to arrange the belt under her body,
thinking he could do it easily enough.

Mrs Brindle, however, was too quick for him.

Tossing off the rope bridle like a piece of straw, she lowered her head,
and catching the captain in the stomach sent him head over heels
backwards into the bottom of the boat, where one of the thwarts only
prevented her from pursuing him further, which she would most
undoubtedly have done judging by her vicious look.

At that moment, Jake, who had been looking over the side of the ship,
seeing what had happened and anxious to be of service, slid down the
whip-tackle into the boat. Arrived here his first task was to pick up
Captain Miles, after doing which he took hold of the canvas belt the
captain had prepared and dropped in his confusion at the unexpected
assault.

"You let dis niggah try, Massa Cap'en," he said. "I'se able to ride any
wild hoss, and tinks I can settle de rampagious animile."

"All right, fire away," replied Captain Miles, rather out of breath from
his tumble as well as from the punch the cow had given him "right in the
wind."

Jake thereupon,