The Speckled Heifer's Calf 223 



" Bossy, Bossy," in my most persuasive tones 5 

 but she came at me like a mad creature, forc- 

 ing me to shin up a small tree with all possible 

 speed. 



When I had reached a safe limb I looked 

 for Ben, and discovered him peeping out of 

 the thicket, and laughing. 



" Harry," he called, " that heifer has gone 

 stark mad for the moment and you and I had 

 better make ourselves scarce. She will be all 

 right again when she has had time to cool off. 

 Mother love is a queer instinct." 



The most dangerous animal in the world is 

 an enraged mother who thinks her young are 

 threatened. When the speckled heifer had 

 gone away to feed in a different part of the 

 pasture, Ben and I slunk away just as the 

 poor dog had done, and left her to chew the 

 cud of reflection. 



The following morning when we visited the 

 pasture a wonderful change had come over 

 the heifer. She stood at the bars bellowing 

 and moaning pitifully. Her eyes were large 

 and full of pain, her muzzle was covered with 



