ne--that is, all but the little red cow, who
always stood next to the Muley Cow when they were in the barn.

To everybody's surprise the little red cow announced that she was glad
the milking machine had come. "You're behind the times," she said to the
Muley Cow. "You prefer to be milked by hand, the old-fashioned way. But
I like new-fangled things. And folks say that milking machines are very
stylish this winter."

For a few moments the Muley Cow gazed, open-mouthed, at the little red
cow. "You don't mean to say," she gasped at last, as soon as she could
speak, "you don't mean to say you're going to let them hitch that
machine to you, do you?"

"Certainly I am!" cried the little red cow. "If I want to be
fashionable I'm sure it's nobody else's affair."

The Muley Cow turned to the big white cow, who stood listening eagerly
to every word.

"We'd better ask Farmer Green to move us," the Muley Cow said to her.
"This neighborhood is getting too fashionable for us."

"Not for me!" the big white cow replied. "I quite agree with the lady on
the other side of you. And we really ought to speak to Farmer Green
about changing our places--she and I. For it's not half stylish enough
for us here."

When she saw how both the little red cow and the big white one felt
about the milking machine, more than ever the Muley Cow vowed that she
would never be milked by it. No, never!

XXIV

HUMBUGS

The new milking machine was all ready to use.

"Which one are you going to try it on first?" the hired man asked Farmer
Green.

"Let's hitch it to the little red cow," said Johnnie Green's father.

The little red cow gave the Muley Cow a sly nudge. "Did you hear that?"
she asked. "Farmer Green knows who's fashionable. He chooses me to be
first! And it's a great honor."

"Nonsense!" said the Muley Cow. "He picked you because you're the
smallest cow on the farm. He thinks you wouldn't dare object to the
milking machine.... Just you wait till they try it on me! I'll kick!
I'll bellow! I'll switch my tail at them!"

The little red cow made no reply. Already Farmer Green and the hired man
had stepped up beside her. And they were just about to fasten the
milking machine to her when the big white cow let out a frightened bawl.

"What's the matter?" the little red cow asked her.

"I was just thinking," she stammered, "what a terrible thing it would be
if they couldn't stop the machine!"

That was an awful thought. Such an i