sently a flock of big
black rooks flew toward them.

At the head of the band was a saucy-looking fellow who wore upon his
head a policeman's helmet, and carried under his wing a club.

Policeman Bluejay gave a cry of anger as he saw this, and dashed
forward to meet the rooks.

"What does this mean, you rascal?" he demanded, in a fierce voice.

"Easy there, my fine dandy," replied the rook, with a hoarse laugh.
"Don't get saucy, or I'll give you a rap on the head!"

The rooks behind him shrieked with delight at this impudent speech, and
that made the mock policeman strut more absurdly than ever.

The bluejay was not only astonished at this rebellion but he was
terribly angry as well.

"That is my policeman's helmet and club," he said sternly. "Where did
you get them?"

"At your nest, of course," retorted the other. "We made up our minds
that we have had a miserable bluejay for a policeman long enough; so
the rooks elected me in your place, and I'm going to make you birds
stand around and obey orders, I can tell you! If you do as I command,
you'll get along all right; if you don't, I'll pound you with your own
club until you obey."

Again the rooks screamed in an admiring chorus of delight, and when the
bluejay observed their great numbers, and that they were all as large
as he was, and some even larger and stronger, he decided not to risk an
open fight with them just then, but to take time to think over what had
best be done.

"I will call the other birds to a meeting," he said to the rook, "and
let them decide between us."

"That won't do any good," was the reply. "We rooks have decided the
matter already. We mean to rule the forest, after this, and if any one,
or all of the birds, dare to oppose us, we'll fight until we force them
to serve us. Now, then, what do you intend to do about it?"

"I'll think it over," said Policeman Bluejay.

"Oho! oho! He's afraid! He's a coward!" yelled the rooks; and one of
them added:

"Stand up and fight, if you dare!"

"I'll fight your false policeman, or any one of you at a time," replied
the bluejay.

"No, you won't; you'll fight us all together, or not at all," they
answered.

The bluejay knew it would be foolish to do that, so he turned away and
whispered to the lark-children:

"Follow me, and fly as swiftly as you can."

Like a flash he darted high into the air, with Twinkle and Chubbins
right behind him, and before the rooks could recover from their
sur