fellow angrier than ever.

"Don't you dare eat another kernel of corn!" he thundered. "If you do,
I'll have to tell Farmer Green."

"He feeds me corn every day--cracked corn!" said Henrietta.

"Well, I never!" cried Mr. Crow. "What's he thinking of, wasting good
corn like that?"

"Really, I mustn't be seen talking with you," Henrietta Hen told Mr.
Crow. "If you want to know the answer to your question, come over to the
barnyard and ask the Rooster. He'll give you an answer that you won't
like."

And then she walked away with stately steps.

Mr. Crow watched her with a baleful gleam in his eyes. He knew well
enough what Henrietta meant. The Rooster would rather fight him than not.
And though Mr. Crow loved a quarrel, he never cared to indulge in
anything more dangerous than harsh words.

"I don't know what the farm's coming to," he croaked. "Here's Farmer
Green wasting corn on such as her--and cracking it for her, too!"

So saying, the old gentleman turned his back on Henrietta Hen, who was
already fluttering through the farmyard fence. And thereupon he scratched
up enough corn for a hearty meal, grumbling meanwhile because it wasn't
cracked for him.