prise the three were far away.

Then the big black birds gave chase, uttering screams of rage; but they
could not fly so swiftly as the bluejay and the larks, and were soon
obliged to abandon the pursuit.

When at last he knew that they had escaped the rooks, Policeman Bluejay
entered the forest again and went among the birds to call them all to a
meeting. They obeyed the summons without delay, and were very indignant
when they heard of the rebellion of the rooks and the insults that had
been heaped upon their regularly elected officer. Judge Bullfinch
arrived with his head bandaged with soft feathers, for he had met the
rook policeman and, when he remonstrated, had been severely pounded by
the wicked bird's club.

"But what can we do?" he asked. "The rooks are a very powerful tribe,
and the magpies and cuckoos and blackbirds are liable to side with
them, if they seem to be stronger than we are."

"We might get all our people together and fall upon them in a great
army, and so defeat them," suggested an oriole.

"The trouble with that plan," decided the judge, "is that we can only
depend upon the smaller birds. The big birds might desert us, and in
that case we would be badly beaten."

"Perhaps it will be better to submit to the rooks," said a little
chickadee, anxiously. "We are neither warriors nor prizefighters, and
if we obey our new rulers they may leave us in peace."

"No, indeed!" cried a linnet. "If we submit to them they will think we
are afraid, and will treat us cruelly. I know the nature of these
rooks, and believe they can only be kept from wickedness by a power
stronger than their own."

"Hear me, good friends," said the bluejay, who had been silent because
he was seriously thinking; "I have a plan for subduing these rebels,
and it is one that I am sure will succeed. But I must make a long
journey to accomplish my purpose. Go now quietly to your nests; but
meet me at the Judgment Tree at daybreak to-morrow morning. Also be
sure to ask every friendly bird of the forest to be present, for we
must insist upon preserving our liberty, or else be forever slaves to
these rooks."

With these words he rose into the air and sped swiftly upon his errand.

The other birds looked after him earnestly.

"I think it will be well for us to follow his advice," said Judge
Bullfinch, after a pause. "The bluejay is an able bird, and has had
much experience. Besides, we have ever found him just and honorable
since