THE COUNTRY BOY 145 



I had no place to put them, just had to 

 stand and hold them. As it was late at night 

 and I had my key in my pocket, I managed 

 to get to my room without being detected. 

 Once in my room, I was compelled to remain 

 in the dark, as to strike a light meant a cock 

 fight that would arouse everybody. So I set 

 one rooster on the back of a chair and the 

 other on the rack made to hold the towel, which 

 stood by the washbowl and pitcher, and with 

 as little noise as possible I went to bed. 

 Before I fell asleep I thought of the next 

 morning, which was fast approaching; I was 

 afraid they might crow. I had apparently 

 just closed my eyes when I was startled by 

 a loud clapping of wings, and a shrill crow 

 which seemed to echo in every room in the 

 hotel. At the same instant the one that had 

 been roosting on the chair back, flew full tilt 

 to the one that had challenged, and before I 

 could spring from the bed they were fighting 

 on top of the washstand. 



It was just getting gray in the morning and 

 the room was barely light, but once together 

 the feathers flew, and before I could reach 

 them they had knocked down the water pitcher. 



