EARLY RISING--MILKING COWS--HOW TO "BAIL-UP" A COW--VICIOUS ANIMALS--
HECTOR CHARGED, AND TAKES TO FLIGHT--REGINALD AND HIS PAIL UPSET BY A
CALF--TRIES AGAIN, AND SUCCEEDS.
"Rouse up, you fellow, and come and learn how to milk cows!" exclaimed
Harry, as, the second morning after the arrival of the party, he, just
at the break of day, rushed into his cousin Hector's room. Hector had
done nothing the previous day but sit, rod in hand, on the bank of the
river, attempting to catch some fish. He now yawned and stretched
himself.
"It cannot be time to get up yet--it is scarcely daylight."
"There's light enough to milk the cows, and the cool of the morning is
the best time," answered Harry. "Your Aunt Emily and the rest of the
girls are there already."
"I'll get up presently, when I've had a little more sleep," said Hector,
yawning again.
"No, no; you've got to learn how to do it, and if you don't begin now,
you never will. You must learn how to do everything, or you cannot
become a prosperous settler. I'll not leave you until I see you up."
Hector reluctantly, and in no good humour, began to dress. As he
intended finishing his toilet after his return, he was soon ready.
"Come along! Sandy, Paul, and Reginald are driving in the cows; though
we have a few which won't come up to `the bail,' as they will soon be
taught to do; and it will be some fun to you to see how we manage
things."
"You don't expect me to milk cows?" said Hector, as they walked along.
"Indeed I do, if you are to have milk for breakfast; it is what young
hands like you and the girls are most suited for."
"I am older than you are," exclaimed Hector, looking indignantly at
Harry.
"Older in years, but younger in this country. Why, my little brother
Rob is of more use than you'll be for months to come, if you don't look
sharp about it."
"It's a horrid country, to say the best of it; I wish I hadn't come out
here," exclaimed Hector.
"It is my country," answered Harry, "and I'll not have it abused. It is
as fine a country as any in the world, or finer, I believe."
"You call that rocky range, which took us three days to get over, a fine
country!"
"Ah! that's nothing! you must take the rough with the smooth. I dare
say there are quite as many rugged places in England."
"From what I have seen of it, all I can say is, I intend to leave your
beautiful country as soon as papa gets back some of his property. I
hope to obtain a commission in the Guards."
"You'd better try and get a commission in our Black-guards," answered
Harry, laughing. "They are a very useful body of men, and most of their
officers are gallant fellows."
"Bosh!" cried Hector, who felt too indignant to make any other reply.
He, nevertheless, accompanied Harry to the stock-yard, where they found
Mary and Janet with their milk-pails, and their two elder cousins and
Miss Saville. Within the yard into which the cattle were being driven,
on one side, were two strong posts, about five feet high, with a
cross-piece on the top and another at the bottom, with a strong rail
between them, which could be moved from side to side and fixed by means
of a peg. Just behind this, but outside the yard, was a windlass, with
a rope passing between the two posts.
"Do you see those posts?" asked Harry; "that's where we milk our cows."
As he spoke he patted a cow on the back, and crying, "Bail-up!" she
walked quickly up and put her head between the posts, where it was so
secured by the rail that she could not withdraw it. Taking one of the
pails, and seating himself on a stool close by, he commenced the
operation, which, to Hector's intense astonishment, he performed in a
thoroughly efficient manner. Other cows walked up without the slightest
trouble, and were milked in the same way by his sisters.
"Now, girls, you had better clear out of the yard!" shouted Paul; "we
have two or three somewhat restive animals to deal with."
Mary and Janet, whose pails were by this time full, followed their
brother's advice, and, accompanied by Miss Saville and their cousins,
made their way out of the yard; while Mr Hayward, who summoned Harry
and Reginald to his assistance, stood ready at the windlass. Paul took
hold of the rope, which was unwound, with a noose at the end of it fixed
to a long stick, and approached one of the cows just before driven into
the yard. Immediately he attempted to throw the noose over her head she
swerved, now on one side, now on the other, taking care never to put her
nose to the ground. At last, however, Paul succeeded in throwing the
noose over her horns, when he drew it tight by a jerk.
"Haul away!" he shouted; and round went the windlass, the cow, in the
meantime, making every effort to free herself, leaping and bounding,
throwing up her head and trying to shake off the rope. But all was in
vain. Sandy sounded his stock whip at her flanks, now and then giving
her a touch to remind her that it was at hand, until gradually she was
drawn up to the posts and her head securely fixed, when Sandy approached
with the milk-pail.
"I'm not going to trust you yet, my lady," he said, fastening her
hind-legs up on the side on which he was about to take his seat. This
done, he began the operation of milking. He had almost drawn as much as
he expected to obtain, when the cunning cow, finding that she could not
kick over the pail, came down on her side; and Sandy, with difficulty,
made his escape from under her with the loss of the contents of his
pail.
There were two other cows to be milked, which had been standing by
watching attentively the treatment received by their companion. Paul,
taking the rope, approached one of them. The creature seemed to have
made up her mind not to be milked, and as he drew near she whisked round
with wonderful rapidity, now and then making as if she would run at him;
but Paul was far too active to be caught. Suddenly her eyes fell on
Hector, who had been ashamed to leave the yard, although greatly longing
to do so. Putting down her head, with a loud bellow she rushed towards
him.
"Run for it! Spring on one side, and then make a bolt for the palings.
I'll help you over!" shouted Harry.
Hector, however, was too much frightened to follow the advice. Instead
of facing the cow and watching what she was about to do, he turned round
and ran across the slippery yard; before he got far, as might have been
expected, down he fell. The next instant the cow would have been upon
him, had not Paul, who had been following with the noose, succeeded
dexterously in slipping it over her horns, when the windlass being
turned rapidly round, she found herself brought up by a violent jerk.
In vain she endeavoured to get free. The hide rope which had caught her
was strong enough, as Sandy affirmed, "to hold a seventy-four," and she
was quickly, in spite of her bellowings and kickings, hauled up to "the
bail;" while Hector, much frightened and excessively angry at his
accident, picked himself up, and ran to the paling towards which Harry
was beckoning him.
Sandy took care on this occasion not to be caught by the cow, and
managed to take all the milk he required. Several others were brought
up in the same fashion. Two who had been looking on, seeing that,
whatever they might do, they would have to submit at last, walked up
quietly and poked their heads into "the bail."
"I should like to try and milk a cow," exclaimed Reginald, who felt
ambitious to imitate his cousins' example and make himself useful.
"We have two more heifers to milk, and you shall try; but I don't think
you will succeed at first," said Paul.
Reginald was determined to make an attempt. As the heifer showed no
great inclination to submit to the process--being accompanied by her
calf--she was caught by the horns, quickly dragged up to "the bail," and
leg-roped. Here she stood quietly enough while Paul stroked her, patted
her back, and scratched her about the ears.
"Now, Reginald!" cried Paul, "get your stool and milk-pail, and try what
you can do." Neither Paul nor his cousin had observed that the calf--
only a few weeks old--which had remained on the other side of the yard,
had been stamping and pawing the ground, and exhibiting other signs of
indignation at seeing its mother made captive.
Reginald, with sleeves tucked up and eager face, commenced trying to
milk, but not a drop could he produce. Suddenly, uttering a loud cry,
the calf, with head lowered, made a dash across the yard, sending
Reginald flying in one direction, his milk-pail and stool in others, to
the great amusement of the lookers-on. Reginald picked himself up, not
being really hurt; and although he at first looked very frightened, he
soon recovered his equanimity.
"Now, Reginald," said Paul, "you will very likely succeed better this
time. Try again."
Reginald had plenty of spirit, and getting the pail and stool, once more
sat himself down; and Paul showing him how to work, he managed to draw
milk from the heifer.
"Capital!" cried Paul; "but you had better let me finish--one cannot
tell how long she may stay quiet."
At breakfast Hector and Reginald gave very different versions of the
milking business of the morning. Hector described it as "a nasty,
disgusting affair;" while Reginald declared "that it was very good fun,
and that he was proud of his own performance, in spite of his
misadventure."