THE TEST
Well, it was no wonder that Mr. Crow was surprised when he found that
some people wanted to put him out of the meeting just because he had said
one word. Had he not always talked more than anybody else at those sunset
meetings in the pine woods?

Luckily, no one made a move to oust him. And he managed to keep silent
for a little while. But he was so angry that he did not hear what the
stranger was saying. At last, however, Mr. Crow began to pay attention
again.

"Do you want to know why times are hard and food is scarce in this
neighborhood?" the impudent fellow asked.

Everybody except old Mr. Crow answered, "Yes!" And after the echo had
died away the stranger continued:

"It's because you need a new leader," he declared. "I understand that a
person called 'Old Mr. Crow' has been your leader for a good many years.
And my advice to you, friends, is this: _Get rid of him_!"

A good deal of applause greeted his words. But some of the older and
wiser of his listeners shook their heads.

"Who is there that could take Mr. Crow's place?" a voice called.

At that question the stranger coughed slightly and said:

"Of course, I wouldn't suggest any one specially, being a newcomer here
myself. And if the position were offered to me, I don't know that I could
accept it, though I _have_ had so much experience."

The young fellows on the limb with Mr. Crow at once set up a great
cawing.

"We want you!" they chanted. Old Mr. Crow might have been a scarecrow,
for all the attention they paid to him. And he did not dare open his
mouth. Many others took up the cry. And a great hub-bub arose--a beating
of wings, and flying up and down, and jostling. Some of the younger ones
squawked like chickens; others pretended to cry like children. But most
of the company cawed in their loudest tones, until the whole valley rang
with the uproar.

Then one of old Mr. Crow's best friends spoke up and said:

"It's plain that a good many people want _you_ for a leader, stranger."

"Then I'd be very happy to act as such," the bold fellow replied. "And
I'll begin at once."

But the elderly person who had just spoken said that there was no hurry
and that the stranger ought first to be put to a test.

"We want to make sure that you're a good leader," he explained. "And I
would suggest that you go to see Farmer Green to-morrow, tell him that we
object to his putting tar on his corn, and ask him not to do it again
next spring."

The stranger looked somewhat uneasy, as he listened. But after he had
pondered for a few moments he said briskly:

"I'll do that! I'll go to Farmer Green to-morrow (he won't be busy, for
to-morrow's Sunday), and I'll make him agree to what you want."

"We'll meet again on Monday, at sunset," Mr. Crow's friend announced.

And then the meeting broke up in the wildest disorder.

As for old Mr. Crow, he crept away without speaking to anyone. And
always, before, he had made more noise than any ten of the others.




XXIII

THE WHITE FLAG


Unhappy Mr. Crow could scarcely eat a mouthful of food after that meeting
on Saturday night, when he found the stranger talking to the gathering.
He was worried, because he knew that if the stranger succeeded in getting
Farmer Green to promise that he would not put tar on his corn the
following spring, everybody would choose the newcomer to be the leader of
all the crows in Pleasant Valley. And that was an honor that old Mr. Crow
had had for years.

For two whole days he sulked at home. He wouldn't even go to his door
when anybody knocked. But on Monday evening Mr. Crow was the first to
reach the meeting-place in the pine woods, long before sunset. He sat
himself down in the leader's seat. And there he intended to stay as
long as he could.

At last his neighbors came straggling to the woods. And when the stranger
arrived he seemed annoyed because he could not have Mr. Crow's seat. And
he said in an undertone to Mr. Crow:

"I advise you to go home."

The old gentleman glared at him. And he answered in a loud voice:

"I advise you to go home yourself--_if you have a home to go to_!"

Now, some people thought that Mr. Crow's answer was a good one. So they
laughed. And that made the stranger feel quite uncomfortable.

But there were others who spoke up and said that Mr. Crow's remark was
very unkind. They knew that the stranger had a beautiful home, further
north, because he had told them all about it.

And that made him feel better once more.

Then old Mr. Crow called the meeting to order. And immediately the
stranger announced in a loud voice:

"I saw Farmer Green and he has surrendered!"

Then there was even more noise than is usual at a crow caucus. It was a
long time before old Mr. Crow could quiet the meeting. But he succeeded
at last. And when it was still he said to the stranger:

"How do you know Farmer Green has surrendered?"

It was so quiet that you could have heard a pine-needle fall, for
everyone was straining his ears to hear.

"Farmer Green hung out the white flag to-day!" the stranger told them.

Well, then there was another outburst. Of course, everybody knew that the
white flag was the sign of surrender. And it was some time before old Mr.
Crow could restore order.

"I doubt it!" he cried, to everyone's astonishment.

"It's true!" a voice shouted. "I know, for I saw--_caw_--_caw_! There was
not only _one_ white flag; there were _dozens_ of them!"

And then Mr. Crow surprised them by laughing loudly. He stopped at last
and wiped his eyes--for he had actually wept, both with joy and
amusement.

"What day is this?" he inquired.

And a hundred voices answered: "Monday!"

"Right!" said Mr. Crow. "And Monday is washday at the farmhouse. Those
white flags at Farmer Green's--they were the family wash, hung out on the
line to dry!"

Then all Mr. Crow's neighbors crowded around him and told him that they
wanted him for their leader--and that they always had. They said that
they knew all the time that the stranger was a fraud.

"Where is he?" someone inquired. "Let's fix him!"

But when they turned to look for the stranger they couldn't find him
anywhere. He had vanished. Though Mr. Crow and his friends searched far
and wide for the bold, bad fellow, their efforts were all in vain. During
the bustle that had followed Mr. Crow's short speech the newcomer had
quietly made his escape. And no doubt it was just as well for him that he
left the meeting when he did.

Some said he had hurried off towards the north; while others claimed that
he had gone in a southerly direction. And though they have kept an eye
out for him ever since, they have not found--or "fixed him"--yet.