CHAPTER IX - JASPER HAS TO HIDE
WHEN Jasper Jay looked up and saw
Mr. Red-shouldered Hawk darting down upon him from
above, he dodged to one side and screamed loudly for
help.
His friend Noisy Jake was known as
a great fighter. And Jasper hoped that together
they might be able to drive Mr. Hawk away.
But he was disappointed. Noisy
Jake did not appear. And there was a good reason
why he did not. At that very moment he was flying
off across the meadow as fast as his beautiful wings
could carry him. He had seen Mr. Hawk circling
above the barnyard. And he had lost no time in
making his escape.
But Jasper Jay knew nothing of all
that. And when he found that there was no one
to help him he was just as frightened as the hens had
been. He knew that he was no match for Mr. Hawk.
And he had no wish to make a meal for him. Jasper
was quite willing to leave that pleasure to the frogs
that splashed their time away along the banks of Black
Creek.
For a few moments Jasper ducked first
one way and then another. He had several narrow
escapes. And there’s no telling what might
have happened if he hadn’t suddenly decided
that he would follow the hens’ example.
So without even stopping to knock
on the door he dashed into the chicken house and alighted
on a roost in the darkest corner he could find.
For two excellent reasons Mr. Red-shouldered
Hawk did not follow him. First, he had always
made it a rule never to go inside one of Farmer Green’s
buildings. And second, he happened to catch a
glimpse of Farmer Green running into the house through
the kitchen door.
Mr. Hawk knew what that meant.
Farmer Green was going for his gun! And so he
winged his way swiftly toward Black Creek, hoping as
he went that he had taught Jasper Jay a
lesson.
Meanwhile, there was a great uproar
in the chicken house. But Farmer Green paid no
attention to that supposing, of course,
that it was merely because of the fright the hawk
had given the hens.
For once there was more noise than
even Jasper Jay liked. It appeared that there
was a bold young rooster in the chicken house.
And he objected to Jasper Jay’s presence.
“What do you mean by coming
in here where you’re not wanted?” he screamed.
“Where are your manners?”
Actually, Jasper Jay wondered what
the rooster was talking about. Never having had
any manners, Jasper didn’t know the meaning of
the word. And since he could not answer, he said
nothing.
“Stick your spurs into him and
maybe he’ll speak!” screeched a pert young
hen.
Jasper looked at the rooster then;
and he saw that the brazen fellow wore long, sharp
spurs upon his legs. They looked almost as wicked
as Mr. Hawk’s cruel talons.
“Please,” said Jasper,
“I’ve come in to get out of the way of
Mr. Hawk.”
“Ha!” cried the rooster.
“Unless I’m mistaken you’re the rogue
that’s always frightening the ladies by screaming
like Mr. Hawk. So I don’t see why you should
object to his society.”
“I was only fooling,”
Jasper Jay whined. “I meant no harm, you
know. Let me stay here a while and I promise
you I won’t bother the hens again.”
“I accept your apology, as well
as your promise,” the rooster replied with great
dignity. And then he began crowing in a manner
that was most annoying to Jasper Jay. It was
the same as saying, “This rascal’s afraid
of me!”
That was true, too. And that
was what made the crowing sound so unpleasant in Jasper’s
ears.
He left as soon as he dared show himself
out of doors. And he sometimes remarked afterward
that a chicken house wouldn’t be a bad place
to live in, after all, if it weren’t for the
roosters.
“They boast too much,”
said Jasper Jay. “Nothing could induce me
to listen to their silly crowing. And to tell
the truth, I don’t see how the hens manage to
stand it.”