Cows

June came and the hay was almost ready for cutting. On Midsummer's Eve, which was a Saturday, Mr. Jones went into Willington and got so drunk at the Red Lion that he did not come back till midday on Sunday. The men had milked the cows in the early morning, without bothering to feed the animals.

When Mr. Jones got back, he immediately went to sleep on the living-room sofa with the News of the World over his face, so that when evening came, the animals were still not fed. At last, they could stand no longer. One of the cows broke into the door of the store-house with her horns and all the animals began to help themselves to the grains. It was just then that Mr. Jones woke up. The next moment he and his four men were in the store-house with whips in their hands, whipping in all directions. This was more than the hungry animals would bear. Together, though nothing of the kind had been planned beforehand, they jumped upon their masters. Jones and his men suddenly found themselves being struck with their horns and kicked from all sides. The situation was quite out of their control.

They had never seen animals act like this before, and this sudden uprising of creatures, whom they were used to beating and whipping just as they chose, frightened them. After only a moment or two they gave up trying to defend themselves. A minute later all five of them were in full fright down the road, with the animals running after them joyfully.