"Can't you all be quiet for a moment or two," interposed the policeman, indignantly. "I tell you, if you don't keep still, you'll upset the critter's mind, and make the magistrates' decision just good for nothing."
The crowd appeared ashamed and relapsed once more into silence.
The policeman stood erect and tall, a few paces in front of them, watching the cock with great solemnity. It was standing still now, jerking its neck a little. Then it looked round, and, retracing its paces, began stepping slowly off in the opposite direction.
"It's going to Bob's!" cried the crowd.
But the cock was doing no such thing; it paused again, scratching in an imaginary dust-heap, and then, with a loud crow, stretched its wings and flew up into a small tree.
This was disconcerting. The policeman turned with anger upon the crowd.
"I told you you were not giving the critter a chance!" he exclaimed. "You'd best be off home. Come, move on! Move on!"
The crowd retreated, but it had no intention of going home. Some of those less interested strolled away, but the partisans of Bob and Jimmy remained at a little distance, eagerly watching to see what would happen next.
The cock, after jerking his head round several times, settled down comfortably among his feathers, and went to sleep in the tree.
This was altogether beyond the expectancy of the policeman. Not knowing what else to do, he sat down on a broken bit of fence under the tree and waited.