Anyone might think that for once the Major would have acted the least bit ashamed. But he did not. He had not even the grace to say that he was sorry for making a few "mistakes."
Instead, he stuck his red cap on one side of his head and began dancing something that might have been a jig if it had been faster.
His actions made all the birds very angry. And some of them exclaimed that there was no reason to make merry, so far as they could see.
Major Monkey promptly stopped dancing and looked grieved.
"Perhaps you would dance, too, if you had just had a good meal of eggs," he remarked.
A shriek went up from his listeners. And old Mr. Crow exclaimed loudly: "Put him out! Put Major Monkey out!"
But nobody made a move. And Major Monkey turned to Mr. Crow and said:
"What's wrong? Have I said something I shouldn't?"
"Said!" the old gentleman echoed. "You've not only said a terrible thing; you've done a still worse one! For you've just been stealing eggs again—and you can't deny it."
A great clamor arose all at once.