erson, as a
shield to ward off the expected attack of the vicious animal. It is
true that the little personage expostulated, and spoke several times in
a tone of command to his companion, but his words were unheeded, and the
cow advanced, and they retreated in the order which I have described.

I quickened my pace, so as to gain rapidly upon them, and was soon but a
few yards from the animal. I had no stick or weapon of any kind, but
still I knew how to manage unruly cattle as sailors do when they were
sent on board ship alive. Indeed I had more than once put it into
practice myself; and although with a bull it was not a very easy matter,
with a cow I felt certain that I could effect my purpose.

The animal appeared now determined to come to close quarters; and I
therefore approached her until I was about a couple of feet from her
flank, all ready for a spring, in case she should see me, and turn
round. But she was too busy with the parties in front of her, and at
last she made a run. The stout young man pushed the little man towards
the cow, and then ran for it. The little one, in his attempt to recoil,
fell on the turf, and the cow made at him. I sprang forward, and
catching the horn of the animal farthest from me in my right hand, at
the same time put my left knee on the horn nearest to me, threw all my
weight upon it, so as to turn the animal's nose up in the air, and
seizing it by the nostrils with the other hand, I held her head in that
position, which of course rendered the animal harmless. In that
position the cow went over the prostrate man without doing him any
injury, plunging and capering, so as to extricate herself from my
weight. I remained clinging to her for about ten yards further, when I
perceived the stout fellow ahead, who hallooed out, "Hold her tight!
hold her tight!" but that I would no longer do, as it was fatiguing
work; so, as a punishment for his cowardice, I let go the animal,
springing clear off, and behind it, the cow galloping away as fast as
she could down the lane, and the fellow screaming and running before as
fast as he could.

Having thus rid myself of the cow and the coward, I turned back to where
the other party had been left on the ground, and found him standing up,
and looking at what was passing. "You're not hurt, sir?" said I.

"No, thanks to you; but no thanks to that rascally clerk of mine, who
wanted to shove me on the cow's horns to save himself."

"He has a r