listen, so's to
know how long Mr. Fox held out.

"I hadn't more than done my part of the work in good shape when Mrs.
Bunny came to tell me that she and Sonny Bunny had fixed things at the
other end, so I went with her because she was dragging me by one ear
in a way that wasn't comfortable. We found my cousins hopping around
outside their home listening to the row, for Foxy was taking on at
such a rate that you might have heard him half a mile away, and none
of us went to bed until the sudden stillness told that Mr. Foxy Fox
wouldn't steal another chicken, nor ever disturb a member of our
family.

"It wasn't more than daybreak next morning when Mr. Crow sent one of
Cheeko's brothers around to tell the members of the club that there
was to be a meeting, on important business, as soon as the sun came
out strong enough to prevent any of the 'Squire's family from showing
themselves.

"I didn't stop for breakfast, but started right off, and on arriving
at the big oak found almost everybody I knew, except those club
members who don't care to meet at meal time. Mr. Crow was perched on
the very tiptoppest branch of the tree, looking as if he had so much
business on hand that he couldn't speak without forgetting some of it,
and I asked little Cocky Robin if he knew why the meeting was to be
held.

"'Don't you know what happened last night?' he asked, looking as if he
thought something was wrong in my head.

"'I've got good reasons to know, seeing's how I was right in the
thick of it,' I said, bristling up my fur so's to make me look mighty
fierce. 'If it hadn't been for me Mr. Towser wouldn't have had such a
chance at Mr. Fox.'

"'What did you have to do with it?' he asked, cocking his head in what
I always thought a most impudent manner. Do you know, he puts on more
airs and graces than a peacock, simply because he's the only bird that
has a red vest to go with a brown coat? Of course I told him the whole
story, though there wasn't any need for me to say that I'd been
frightened nearly out of my wits, and before I'd finished Mr. Crow
called the meeting to order.

"You know how well the old fellow loves to talk, and it seemed on this
morning as if his tongue ran on wheels. He began by telling all about
the row which Mr. Weasel kicked up with the 'Squire, and it seems,
according to his story, that the head of the Owl family had been
killed, as he had a good right to be after Mr. Weasel got a grip on
his neck. Then he s