The water did not seem to help the Soft-Voiced Cow, and she rolled her eyes in an alarming manner.
“She may start kicking any minute!” Gran’pa warned. “Don’t get too close to her heels! I had a cow that acted the same way once!”
Sure enough, the Soft-Voiced Cow did begin kicking, and as they drew away from her she turned her head towards Gran’ma with a pathetic look in her eyes.
“I’m going to hold her head!” cried Gran’ma, forgetting in her anxiety that her friend was only a Cow.
Gran’ma’s soft hand smoothed the Soft-Voiced Cow’s forehead, and the Cow, seeming to feel Gran’ma’s affection, placed one of her front feet on Gran’ma’s lap. Gran’ma sat holding the Cow’s foot and smoothing her brow, meanwhile talking to her in a gentle, soothing manner.
The others, who stood by watching, had to brush the tears from their eyes.
“Why not puff your magic powder on her?” Janey cried to the Chief of Detectives.
“It will only cure magic!” cried that good little man as he took the tiny bellows from his pocket.
Johnny jumped forward and blew a generous puff upon the Soft-Voiced Cow’s head.
The Soft-Voiced Cow seemed to shrink in size and turned a different color.