Leave Smoker and me to manage the mother."
The boys put their arms under the stomach of the calf, and carried it
away. The heifer was at first too busy defending herself against the
dog to perceive that the calf was gone; when she did, Jacob called
Smoker to him, so as to bring him between the heifer and where the
boys were going out of the thicket. At last the heifer gave a loud
bellow, and rushed out of the thicket in pursuit of her calf, checked
by Smoker, who held on to her ear, and sometimes stopped her from
advancing.
"Hold her, Smoker," said Jacob, who now went back to help the boys.
"Hold her, boy. Is the calf in the cart?"
"Yes, and tied fast," replied Edward, "and we are in the cart, too."
"That's right," replied Jacob. "Now I'll get in too, and let us drive
off. She'll follow us, depend upon it. Here, Smoker! Smoker! let her
alone."
Smoker, at this command, came bounding out of the copse, followed by
the heifer, lowing most anxiously. Her lowing was responded to by the
calf in the cart, and she ran wildly up to it.
"Drive off, Humphrey," said Jacob; "I think I heard the lowing of the
heifer answered by some of the herd, and the sooner we are off the
better."
Humphrey, who had the reins, drove off; the heifer followed, at one
time running at the dog, at another putting her head almost into the
hind part of the cart; but the lowing of the heifer was now answered
by deeper tones, and Jacob said,
"Edward, get your gun ready, for I think the herd is following.
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