"And now get aft with you, you ----!" cursed the captain, dismissing us
with a parting volley that beat about our ears.
"Gawd, but the skipper's a _right_ man enough!" worshipped Nippers.
We hurried down the ladder to gobble up what was left of the cornbeef
and potatoes.... Nippers looked up at me, with a hunk of beef sticking
from his mouth, which he poked in with the butt-end of his knife....
"Say, didn't the old man cuss wonderful, and him lookin' like such a
lady!"
* * * * *
There was plenty of work to do in the few days it took to reach
Brisbane, where the cattle were to be taken aboard. The boat was an
ordinary tramp steamer, and we had to make an improvised cattleboat out
of her. Already carpenters had done much to that effect by erecting
enclosures on the top deck, the main deck, by putting up stalls in the
hold. Every available foot was to be packed with the living flesh of
cattle.
We gave the finishing touches to the work, trying to make the boarding
and scantling more solid--solid enough to withstand the plunging,
lurching, and kicking of fear-stricken, wild Queensland steers unused to
being cooped up on shipboard....
* * * * *
We had made fast to a dock down the Brisbane River, several miles out
from Brisbane ... nearby stood the stockyards, with no cattle in them
yet.
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