her head as far around as her stanchion would let her, and
stretch her lean neck to the utmost, hoping for a share of the treat.
She often told the little red cow, privately, that the delicious smell
of such things as potatoes and apples was enough to drive anybody
frantic.

They had agreed, long before, that it was very unpleasant to be stabled
beside Johnnie Green's favorite. That was what they called the Muley
Cow--"the Favorite" (when they didn't speak of her as "old Muley"). But
when they spoke _to_ her they were as polite as you please, because she
was the oldest cow on the farm and was an aunt to both of them.

Whenever Johnnie Green gave some dainty morsel to the Muley Cow he first
cut it into medium sized pieces with his jackknife. There was a good
reason why he did that, as you will learn later.

Merely feeding good things to her was not the only way in which Johnnie
showed that the Muley Cow was his favorite. Next to the choice mouthfuls
that he brought her, she liked to have him curry and brush her, just as
he curried and brushed the ancient horse, Ebenezer. Especially in the
winter, when she stood long hours in the barn with her neck in a
stanchion, did the Muley Cow enjoy Johnnie's attentions with currycomb
and brush.

In the summer, when she spent every day in the pasture, she was able to
lick her back with her long, rough tongue whenever she pleased; and
sometimes she would even get some friend to do it for her. But you may
be sure she never sought such a favor of the little red cow, nor the big
white one, either. Naturally they could scarcely have refused, had their
aunt asked them. But the Muley Cow knew well enough that they would make
disagreeable remarks afterward. So when she wanted help she usually
turned to some cow whose place in the barn was a long way from her own.
Somehow her best friends were those that didn't spend the winter near
enough to her to notice whenever Johnnie Green gave her something good
to eat.

Really it was not strange that Johnnie Green petted the Muley Cow.
Farmer Green had given her to Johnnie. She belonged to him. But the
Muley Cow never spoke of the matter in just that way. She preferred to
say that Johnnie Green belonged to her.

II

WHY JOHNNIE HURRIED

It was a proud day for Johnnie Green when his father told him that he
might have the Muley Cow for his very own. The moment he heard the news
Johnnie couldn't help interrupting his father with a shout