enever anything startled her the only thing
she ever did was to run away, if she could. If old dog Spot barked at
her heels the Muley Cow always hurried to get out of reach of his
snapping jaws. If Farmer Green shouted at her she was more than likely
to mind him. And usually she even did as Johnnie Green told her to do.
In all her life she was never known to fight. Yet there came a time
when many of her friends claimed that she was very brave indeed.

On a crisp fall evening a terrible, grinning fellow known as Jack
O'Lantern appeared about the farmhouse. Johnnie Green, at least, did not
fear him, in spite of his flaming features. For Johnnie and Jack spent
the whole evening together. Whenever the clatter of a wagon sounded from
the road, the two rushed out to the gate, to be there when the wagon
passed.

It was said that strangers seemed to be frightened. Anyhow, shouts were
heard. Old dog Spot did a great deal of barking. And Miss Kitty Cat hid
under the woodpile. Queer tales travelled like wildfire that night. All
the after-dark prowlers knew about Jack O'Lantern. And some of them
saw--and feared--him.

After Johnnie Green went to bed Jack sat a long time on a fence post and
grinned at the black night. And nobody--except Benjamin Bat--dared go
near him.

After a while Jack O'Lantern vanished. His gleaming eyes no longer
flashed, his horrid mouth no longer grinned. And nobody cared to go near
the place where he had sat, to see what had become of him.

At dawn Miss Kitty Cat crawled out of the woodpile to do a little early
hunting. And she claimed that at that hour Jack O'Lantern still sat on
the fence post. She saw the back of his head--so she said. And that was
enough for her. She did not look at him a second time. And yet--when
broad daylight came Jack O'Lantern had vanished completely.

It was a great mystery. And when at last the Muley Cow spoke up and said
that she had done for Jack O'Lantern, nobody could believe her.

When Miss Kitty Cat heard the news she went at once to the pasture. And
going straight to the Muley Cow she made bold to ask her a question: "Is
it true that you made away with that dreadful Jack O'Lantern?"

"Yes!" the Muley Cow replied. "I was the first one out of the barn this
morning. And I knocked Jack O'Lantern off the fence post."

"What happened then?" Miss Kitty Cat wanted to know, as she stared
round-eyed at the Muley Cow.

"He broke into a dozen pieces."

Miss Kitty Cat was