regular intervals, such abundance of corn,
mashed potatoes, and bones, that my own mouth watered at--are served
out--"

"That sounds good," said the young cockerels.

"Ahem! ahem!" said the chief cock. "Did you see anything very
remarkable--were the specimens of my race much superior in strength and
good looks?----"

"My dear cock!" said Flaps; "there's not a tail or a comb or a hackle to
touch you. You'll be cock of the walk in no time."

"Ahem! ahem!" said the chief cock modestly. "I have always had a sort of
fatality that way. Pray, my dears, don't look so foolish and deplorable,
but get the young people together, and let us make a start. Mr. Flaps is
a person of strong common sense, a quality for which I myself have
always been remarkable, and I thoroughly endorse and support his
excellent advice, of which I am the best judge. I have very much
regretted of late to observe a tendency in this family (I say a
tendency, for I hope it goes no further) to undervalue Mr. Flaps, and
even (I hardly like to allude to such reprehensible and disgusting
absurdity) to recall the memory of a vulgar red-haired impostor, who
gained a brief entrance into our family circle. I am not consulted as I
should be in these fluctuations of opinion, but there are occasions when
it is necessary that the head of a family should exercise his discretion
and his authority, and, so to speak, put down his claw. I put down my
claw. We are going to Mr. Flaps' farmyard. Cock-a-doodle-doo
Cock-a-doodle-doo!"

Now, when the head of a family says "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" there is
nothing more to be said. So to the farmyard the whole lot of them went,
and were there before the sun got one golden hair of his head over the
roof of the big barn.

And only Mark, as they all crowded into their new home, turned his head
round over his back to say: "And you, Flaps; what shall you do?"

"Oh, I shall be all right," said Flaps. "Good-bye and good luck to you."

It cannot be said that Flaps was positively in high spirits when he had
settled his proteges in their new home in the farmyard, and was left
alone; but there are some good folk who contrive to make duty do the
work of pleasure in this life, and then a piece of business fairly
finished is as good as a treat.

It is not bread and bones, however, and Flaps was very hungry--so hungry
that he could not resist the temptation to make his way towards the
farmhouse, on the chance of picking up some scraps outsid