"Get her this way while I hold the shafts," exclaimed Peter. "Gee up, old lady."
Butterfly obeyed and took up a position athwart the hawse of the craft, as Billy expressed it.
"Round with her," continued Barcroft Senior. "I can't hold these infernal shafts up all day."
Putting his shoulders to the donkey's hind quarters Billy succeeded in "slewing the boat's stern round."
"Easy astern!" he shouted in ringing nautical tones.
Surprised beyond measure, Butterfly turned her head to take stock of this unusual type of groom, with the result that the flight-sub's face received a good buffet from the animal's nose. Simultaneously the brass trappings of the harness rasped Peter's hand.
"Confound it!" he roared, relaxing his grasp and allowing one shaft to fall with a clatter upon the cobbles.
