118 NOTES ON FIELDS AND CATTLE. 



for it is an important time, when the head should be 

 at hand to decide — that plaguy great item of all life's 

 usiness. 

 At length a rumbling noise ; nearer and nearer. 

 They are in the road outside. " Easy now, a 

 moment;" there is a sharp turn through the gate, 

 and that iron-bound leviathan is hard to manage. 

 They have taken the sweep that is allowed them, 

 and now in they go — crack — up a slight ascent. 

 " Doctor — Victoria ! " Wey ! or the gate-post will 

 suffer. " Wey ! " and the dear docile creatures arrest 

 their step and draught upon the instant, iu the full 

 swing of their exertion too, gentle, tractable as 

 sheep. " There now, my men, be quick with a help- 

 ing hand to the wheel." "All clear, sir." Crack 

 goes the whip again, but so as not to touch them. 

 "Doctor — Victoria!" and with an impulse irre- 

 sistible the lumbering apparatus has been swept 

 through the gateway, and is advancing steadily upon 

 the sward beside the stacks. Now is the time for the 

 head to be about, or the work will be left to eat into 

 to-moiTOw's day. " Here, fix it here ; there, that 

 will do." Now the boiler is coming ; the water has 

 been left in it, the distance being short. It follows 

 safely, without hurt to the gateway. " Gently there, 

 you are too far. Now, engineer, just look where you 

 will have it fixed." "Back," he orders, "we must 

 have it back." " Back, little mare." The leader is 

 unhooked. "Back, mare," and the little willing 

 thing leaps into the air, angrily shaking her head at 

 the fruitless effort. " Now, lads, we must help her," 

 and the strong willing bailiff seizes stern hold of the 



