THE RED COW 



stretched his neck and looked around to see if any 

 of the young gobblers were grinning at him. They 

 were already quietly at roost with the mother hen 

 at the far end of the roof, and the noisy approach 

 of their lord and king made them huddle together 

 in squeaking terror. Seeing that their attitude was 

 respectful he settled down on his wishbone for the 

 night. Being young and light they had flown grace- 

 fully to their chosen roost and doubtless could not 

 understand what was ailing him when he sprawled 

 around like that. I could sympathise with him bet- 

 ter than they could, for when a man gets heavy and 

 gets chalky deposits in his joints the climbing stunts 

 he did as a boy become impossible. Time was when 

 I could have walked up that roof as jauntily as if 

 I were on parade on an asphalt sidewalk, but I sus- 

 pect that if I tried it now I would make more noise 

 than the old gobbler. 



168 



