Скотный двор

           IfPilkingtonandhismenwouldhelpthem,thedaymightyetbewon. Butatthismomentthefourpigeons,whohadbeensentoutonthedaybefore,returned,oneofthembearingascrapofpaperfromPilkington. Onitwaspencilledthewords: "Servesyouright." 

           MeanwhileFrederickandhismenhadhaltedaboutthewindmill. Theanimalswatchedthem,andamurmurofdismaywentround. Twoofthemenhadproducedacrowbarandasledgehammer. Theyweregoingtoknockthewindmilldown. 

           "Impossible!"criedNapoleon. "Wehavebuiltthewallsfartoothickforthat. Theycouldnotknockitdowninaweek. Courage,comrades!" 

           ButBenjaminwaswatchingthemovementsofthemenintently. Thetwowiththehammerandthecrowbarweredrillingaholenearthebaseofthewindmill. Slowly,andwithanairalmostofamusement,Benjaminnoddedhislongmuzzle. 

           "Ithoughtso,"hesaid. "Doyounotseewhattheyaredoing? Inanothermomenttheyaregoingtopackblastingpowderintothathole." 

           Terrified,theanimalswaited. Itwasimpossiblenowtoventureoutoftheshelterofthebuildings. Afterafewminutesthemenwereseentoberunninginalldirections. Thentherewasadeafeningroar. Thepigeonsswirledintotheair,andalltheanimals,exceptNapoleon,flungthemselvesflatontheirbelliesandhidtheirfaces. Whentheygotupagain,ahugecloudofblacksmokewashangingwherethewindmillhadbeen. Slowlythebreezedrifteditaway. Thewindmillhadceasedtoexist! 

           Atthissighttheanimals’couragereturnedtothem. Thefearanddespairtheyhadfeltamomentearlierweredrownedintheirrageagainstthisvile,contemptibleact.