The wagon of Mr. Harding--that was grandmother's father--was drawn
by four oxen, but of them, known as Jerry, began to show signs of
sickness when they had been on the road a few days. The men gave
him medicine and doctored him all they could, but he seemed to grow
weaker all the time instead of better, and one morning, when they
went to yoke the oxen to the wagon, they found him dead.

For a day or two they went on with only three oxen. Then Mr.
Harding met a trader who was willing to sell him a pet ox that he
called "Old Mustard," to take the place of Jerry.

It was a very funny-looking ox, indeed, not like any that Mary or
anybody in her family had ever seen before. He had a very large,
round head, with shaggy hair matted on top, and on his back was a
large hump. In color he was a dirty yellow all over. That is why
the trader called him Mustard.

"He isn't very pretty," said the trader, "but he is strong and
good-natured, and will pull more than any ox of his size that I
ever saw. Besides, he will get on with less grass and less water.
He is a half-buffalo--he shows that in his huge head and shoulders.
For this reason he will be worth more to you than any scout or
watch-dog; he can smell Indians a mile away, and will fight them on
sight." Mr. Harding did not quite like to buy so strange an animal,
but he must get another ox somewhere, and so he took Old Mustard.

By the end of the first day he was very glad he had done so, for
the funny-looking yellow creature took its place at the tongue of
the cart and pulled steadily and well. And every day after that he