No help came, and all afternoon he remained 
there. The other jays perched on the barn roof 
answered him for a time, but soon they became 
interested in something else and all flew away to 
the woods. | 
By and by it grew very dark in the barn, for 
night was coming on. The little owl now be- 
came thoroughly awake and began to watch 
the jay more closely, for he was hungry. The 
jay would have been sleepy if he had not been so 
much afraid, for the time had come when jays 
usually go to roost. Every minute he expected 
the owl to attack him. So he stood with heart 
beating fiercely and through the gloom watched 
for the first movement of his enemy. He had 
not long to wait. Suddenly the owl left his 
perch and on wings that made no noise came 
straight for him. In terror Robin Hood fled. 
Round and round the barn loft they went, the 
jay dodging as best he could with the fierce 
night-seeing owl ever gaining on him. Then 
just as all seemed over, the barn door opened; 
the farmer had come to milk his cow. Out by 
him, almost brushing his hat, dashed the terrified 
87. 
