ilk just as she always did for Farmer Green himself.

And everybody told her that she was making a big mistake.

III

WORKING FOR A PRIZE

Of course Johnnie Green was very slow the first time he milked the Muley
Cow. For a few minutes his father stood beside him and told him a few
things that he needed to know. And then Farmer Green went away and left
Johnnie to do his best all alone.

"Now's your chance!" the little red cow said to the Muley Cow. "Upset
the boy before Farmer Green comes back!"

But the Muley Cow didn't even stop chewing her cud long enough to
answer. She looked so mild and contented that no one would have guessed
she was wishing more than ever that she had jumped the fence and lost
herself in the back pasture. It seemed to her that Johnnie Green never
would finish milking her.

"I hope he'll be done with me by dark," she said to herself. "I wouldn't
like to lose any of my night's rest."

Yet she never let anybody know that she was impatient. She stood as
still as she could, only lifting a foot and stamping now and then when
some fly was too bothersome. And she never switched her tail except when
a fly gave her an unusually hard bite. To be sure, once she brought the
end of her tail _smack_ across Johnnie Green's cheek. But that was a
mistake. Though it stung sharply, all Johnnie Green said was, "So, boss!
So, boss!"

She was glad when Farmer Green came back at last, peeped into the pail
that Johnnie was clutching between his knees, and said, "Well, you
haven't done badly. But you'd better let me finish for you."

So Johnnie slipped off the three-legged stool and watched while his
father sat down and got the rest of the Muley Cow's milk in no time.

"Farmer Green milked eight cows while that lazy boy was puttering with
you," the little red cow said to the Muley Cow.

"Well, well! I suppose Farmer Green had to learn to milk when he was a
boy," the Muley Cow replied, as she flicked a big fly off her back. "And
this boy of his," she added, "he's going to be a good milker--once he
gets the knack of it."

Just then Johnnie Green came trotting down the long passageway in front
of the cows. He stopped in front of the Muley Cow and offered her a
piece of an early apple--one of the first ripe ones of the summer.

She accepted the gift with much pleasure, while her neighbors on either
side, stirred restlessly as she munched the apple. They said nothing
just then. But anybody could see tha