The Story of Freginald by Walter R. Brooks Read Free Book Online Page B

said Leo, who was getting tired of their visitor’s oratory. “Look, rooster, when are we going to be let out of here?”
    â€œI am commissioned by the captain, whom you have already seen—” began the rooster.
    â€œThat old bull?” asked Leo.
    â€œThe bull, yes. He offers you this choice: to join our band, or to remain our prisoners.”
    â€œYou mean we can’t go back to Mr. Boomschmidt?” Freginald asked.
    â€œPrecisely,” said the rooster. “If you join us, you will swear allegiance to the Confederacy. You will agree to become members of our band, and to obey our captain’s orders. If you refuse, you will remain under guard until you change your minds.”
    â€œI don’t call that much of a choice,” said Leo. “See here, I’m not a Northerner, I came from Africa. You’ve no reason to pick on me.”
    â€œIndeed?” said the rooster. “Our slaves were from Africa, you know. H’m, I shall have to speak to the captain about that.”
    â€œSlaves!” the lion exclaimed, with a sudden roar. “You think I’m going to be a slave to a moth-eaten bull and a silly, strutting little bug-eater like you? You think—”
    â€œWait a minute, Leo,” Freginald put a restraining paw on his friend’s shoulder. The rooster, with an excited squawk had fluttered backward through the doorway, where the guards’ lowered horns closed in front of him. “You can’t blame Leo for roaring at you,” he said. “That slave talk is all nonsense. But I want to ask a question or two. Can we have a little time to think over your proposition?”
    â€œA year if you want to,” said the rooster. “Or ten. You’ll just be kept here till you agree.”
    â€œAnd if we join your band, what will we have to do? I mean, how do you live? You can’t raise corn and oats and so on, yourselves.”
    â€œNaturally, we don’t. We raid the enemy, suh. We cross into Federal territory and take whatever we need—by force, if necessary.”
    â€œI see,” said Freginald. “Well, thank you. We’ll think it over and let you know.”
    â€œRaid into Federal territory indeed!” said Leo when the rooster had gone. “That’s somewhere off the plantation. They’re just a gang of robbers.”
    â€œSure they are,” said Freginald. “But look here, Leo. You keep the guards amused for a while. I’m going up into the loft and see if I can’t make a deal with some bird to take a message to Mr. Boomschmidt.”
    He went up the ladder as quietly as he could, and sure enough, there were a dozen big holes in the roof. He poked his head through one, and there at the edge of the roof stood a wren with a piece of straw in his beak.
    â€œHi, wren,” said Freginald.

    â€œWell, well, bear,” said the wren. “I saw ’em bringing you in. Too bad. I bet you wish you were back with your circus.”
    â€œOh, so you know about the circus?” said Freginald.
    â€œOh, I get around.”
    â€œAre you a Confederate, too?” the bear asked.
    â€œWell, yes and no,” said the wren. “You see, I spend the winters in South America, and if I were to say down there that I was a citizen of the C. S. A. they wouldn’t know what I was talking about. While if I say I am a citizen of the United States, I get more respect and consideration.”
    â€œOh, that’s fine,” said Freginald. “Now look, I want—”
    â€œStop right there,” said the wren. “I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to ask me to take a message to Mr. Boomschmidt. Well, it can’t be done. I’m too busy. I’ve got a nest to build, bear. I can’t take time off to go tearing around the country playing postman every few minutes.”
    â€œWhy, that’s just silly,” said Freginald. “You’d be