"It is one of Mr. Crow's stories," Mrs. Gray Goose said after another
long look at the suffering gander; "but it agrees with what I said about
the wisdom of being suspicious now and then.
"It seems that once upon a time a colored man raised a nice flock of
fowls; but his neighbors, who dearly loved stewed chickens or roasted
turkey, came to dinner so often, that very soon one thin turkey and an
old rooster, were all he had left.
"Just then two friends of the man's wife came to dinner, and, because he
hadn't any meat in the house, there was nothing to do but catch and cook
one of the lonesome looking pair.
"Mr. Turkey Gobbler saw the man coming, and flew up on the top of the
barn, as he cried:
"'I've got other business, and can't go to dinner with you, no matter
how much you want me.'
"'Now he's after me!' Mr. Rooster cried, growing suspicious when the
man caught him by the end of the tail and pulled nearly half the
feathers out.
"'Get under the barn! Get under the barn!' Mr. Turkey screamed, and Mr.
Rooster shouted while he went across the yard as fast as his legs could
carry him:
"'Give me a little time, and I'll win the race; but he's dangerously
near.'
"Well, Mr. Rooster got under the barn nearly a minute before the man
did, and there he stayed, paying no attention to the coaxing or threats,
and, finally, discouraged and with his coat torn in two places, the man
went into the house to tell his visitors that he couldn't have company
to dinner that day.
[Illustration: A Race for Life.]
"When he had got inside the house Mr. Rooster crept out from under the
barn, and crowed up to Mr. Turkey: 'Do you-think-he's-gone-for
goo-o-o-d?'
"And the suspicious Mr. Turkey gobbled back:
"'Doubtful! Doubtful! Doubtful! Doubtful!'
"That Mr. Rooster had a good deal more sense than our Mr. Dorking, who
made such a fool of himself last summer. It isn't much of a story; but
it shows how silly some people are," and once more Mrs. Goose looked at
Mr. Gander.