Johannes stood so quick and watchful that, as the calf's head popped out of the water again, a ring of rope fell round it and was tightened at once, but with no better fortune. Again and again the Norseman tried; but the little creature was too slippery, and gave way, so that it was like trying to lasso a huge egg bobbing about on the surface. "Give it up," said the captain at last; but it was just as the ring of line fell once more round the plump, swimming and diving object, and Steve's feeling of disappointment gave way to delight, for fortune smiled upon the Norseman's efforts at last, or else the little walrus threw one flipper over the rope and hugged it to its fat side, with the result that the line was tightened with a snatch, and its egg-like body was suddenly compressed into a dumb-bell shape. "Got him!" cried Steve joyfully, and Skene nearly jumped overboard in his excitement, barking the next minute furiously, while his master stopped his ears; for the calf, as it was dragged toward the boat, first set up a whimper, and then broke out into a series of snorts, barks, and squeals, which gave it a strong resemblance to a pig being coerced into quiescence while undergoing the ornamentation to its nose known as ringing. At the first dismal squeal, but unnoticed by the occupants of the boat, the walrus herd stopped its retreat, at the second it turned, and at the third it came rushing back as fast as it could tear through the water. But little heed was paid to this in the excitement of dragging the heavy calf over the side; for it "gave" in every way. There seemed to be nothing to grasp or of which to get a good grip, while to have hauled the animal in by the thin line looked like trying to cut it in two, as a shopkeeper does soap or cheese. But at last Andrew "got a han'," as he called it, of one hind flipper, Jakobsen of one of the fore flippers, Steve hauled in the line, and Johannes reached over and caught the other fin-like projection. Then there was a haul all together, and the squealing and snorting object rolled over the gunwale and down into the bottom of the rocking boat with what Hamish called "a squelch." By that time a warning cry was heard from Mr Lowe's boat, and the party with the captain gazed in dismay at the fierce-looking herd charging down. "Quick! oars!" cried the captain, and the men scrambled into their places with a scared look on their faces. "It's the youngling's cries has brought them down," said Johannes calmly. "You know these brutes of old," said the captain. "Will they attack us?" "They'll come close up, sir; but I don't think there's anything to mind, or I would say throw the calf overboard." "Yes, that might be the best thing to do." "But I would not yet, sir. We'll see. These things look very big and fierce, and sometimes they can fight, but it's mostly bully and noise."