Want me to pull my hair off?
I say, skipper, if you'll let him come aboard--oh! He is aboard now,"-- for Jemmy was already making the boat fast--"Here, give me a clean pail." The little commander of the cutter tried to look important, and Archy more so, but they forgot everything disciplinarian the next moment, in the interest of the proceedings, as Jemmy Dadd took the bucket handed to him, turned another up beside the side of the cow, and as he was sitting down, Dirty Dick dug his elbows into his messmates' ribs right and left, whispered "Look out! And over he goes." Then he drew in a long breath, ready for a roar of laughter when the bucket went flying, and stood staring waiting to explode.
But, to Dick's great disappointment, Tally uttered a soft low, and began to swing her tail gently round, so as to give Jemmy a pat on the back.
At regular intervals there was a whishing noise, then another whishing noise half a tone lower, then _whish_--_whosh_--_whish_--_whosh_, two streams of rich new milk began to pour into the bucket, whose bottom was soon covered, and a white froth began to appear on the top.
"I say!" cried Dick eagerly, "shall I lash her legs ?" "What for ?" growled Jemmy.
"'Cause she'll kick it over directly." "Not she.

You wouldn't kick it over, would you, Tally, old cow ?" The cow waved her tail and whisked it about the man's neck as the milking went on, to the delight of the men, who began to see biscuit and milk in prospect, while the two officers, who were none the less eager for a draught as a change from their miserable ordinary fare, veiled their expectations under a severe aspect of importance.
"Here you are," said Jemmy, drawing back at last--while Dick seemed to be watching, in a state of agony, lest a kick should upset the soft white contents of the bucket--"More'n a gallon this time.

How much are we to leave aboard ?" "All of it," said Ram generously; "they deserve it for saving the cow.
I say, you," he continued, turning to Archy, "what do you say to her now ?" "Thank you," replied Archy.

"Here, Dick, take that bucket aft, and you, my lads, open the side there, and help them to get the cow overboard." "Thank ye, sir," said Ram, smiling.

"I say, Jemmy, she'd stand in the boat, wouldn't she?
Or would she put her feet through ?" "Let's try," was the laconic reply, and taking hold of the rope that had been used as a halter, the man stepped down into the boat, the cow, after a little coaxing, following, without putting her feet through, and showing great activity for so clumsy-looking a beast.