.

"We've come to rid you of flies once more," they announced as they began
to jostle one another while they snapped at the insects hovering about
the Muley Cow. And one fat cowbird remarked with a smirk that it was too
bad they hadn't brought the children along to help.

The others grinned; for the cowbird youngsters were all being cared for
by other birds who had big enough families of their own without looking
after outsiders. But they didn't know that the Muley Cow had heard any
stories about that.

"Do bring your children along with you the next time you come to the
pasture," the Muley Cow urged them. "I'm very fond of little ones."

The cowbirds tittered. They seemed to think there was a great joke
somewhere.

"Our children are too small to leave home just yet," the fat person told
the Muley Cow.

"The smaller they are the more I like them," the Muley Cow declared.
"Won't you show me where your nests are? I'd love to see the little
darlings cuddled in their beds."

The cowbirds stopped catching flies and looked uneasily at one another.
The fat one, however, was somewhat bolder than the rest. He fluttered up
and alighted right on the back of the Muley Cow.

"We don't take anybody to see our children until they leave the nests,"
he told the Muley Cow.

She knew, then, that the song sparrow had told her the truth.

"And I don't let cowbirds sit on my back--not after they're grown up!"
she snapped. As she spoke, the Muley Cow fetched the pert gentleman a
smart smack with her tail.

The blow caught him unawares and knocked him squawking upon the ground.
At once his companions began to scold the Muley Cow. And so did he--as
soon as he got his breath back. "You're a rough old thing!" he squalled.

"You're rascals--all of you!" cried the Muley Cow. "You can't fool me
any longer. I know all about you. I wonder who named you _cowbirds_, for
it's a deadly insult to me and all my family."

XIV

THE MUSKRATS' WARNING

If it hadn't been for Johnnie Green there's no knowing how long the
Muley Cow would have had to wear the wooden poke about her neck. Somehow
Johnnie Green guessed that she didn't like it. So he teased his father
to take the poke off her. And at last Farmer Green consented.

"We'll try her without it," he said. "We'll see how she behaves. We'll
see if she has learned a lesson."

It was like a holiday for the Muley Cow when she went into the pasture
without the heavy poke. For all her