Part 5 (2/2)
John would waken and say, ”I wish Red Top would crow somewhere else.”
Then there came a holiday when they did not need to get up so early.
The evening before, Farmer Hill said, ”I wish some one would keep Red Top from crowing under my window to-morrow morning, so I could sleep.”
”I'll keep him away,” said Bobby.
”You will have to watch or he will get there in spite of you,” said Father.
”I don't believe you _could_ keep him away,” said John.
”You'll see that I can,” said Bobby. ”Red Top can't get the start of me.”
”If you keep him from crowing there to-morrow morning,” said John, ”I will give you a dime.”
”Goody! I'll do it,” said Bobby. ”I'll put the dime in the box for my new express wagon.”
Bobby put the alarm clock near his bed. It was set to wake him at four o'clock.
The next morning, after Red Top had crowed in the hen-house, he went out into the yard and crowed three times. Then he started toward the house.
Very proudly he strutted along the path.
He was just going around to the side of the house, when Bobby came out of the back door.
”Shoo, shoo!” said Bobby. ”You must not crow near the house this morning.”
And he drove Red Top back toward the corn crib.
”That is too bad,” thought Red Top. ”They will miss my nice crow. I must go again.”
So he went up the path again toward the little mound. Bobby was watching and drove him back.
”I will not let you crow here this morning,” he said. ”Shoo, shoo!”
Six times Red Top tried to get to the little mound. Six times Bobby drove him back. Finally, he drove him beyond the horse barn.
”Crow for the walnut tree this morning,” he said.
”He won't get to the house again very soon,” thought Bobby. So he went over to the strawberry patch to see whether any strawberries were ripe.
Suddenly, in the apple tree, a robin began to sing. A thrush joined him from a near-by thicket. Birds began chirping in all the trees.
The Eastern sky began to turn golden. The fleecy white clouds began to look rosy.
Bobby forgot all about the rooster.
<script>