The Secret Chicken Society

by Judy Cox

  Peepers cocked his head at them, as if to say I’ve got it now, fellows! He stretched out his neck again. And crowed and crowed and crowed.

  Chapter 8

  PINKIE PROMISE

  “This is terrible!” said Daniel as he watched Peepers crow.

  “Why?” asked Kelsey. “Now we can have baby chicks.”

  “Roosters are illegal. If Mr. Gruffalo finds out, he’ll call the police.”

  “Will they lock Peepers in jail?” asked Emmy. Her eyes were big.

  “Worse,” said Daniel. “We’ve got to save him. Protect him!”

  “I know! We can disguise him!” said Kelsey.

  “Put a pink bow on him. Then everyone will think he’s a girl chicken,” said Emmy.

  “We need a chicken club.” Kelsey sat up. The hens scratched for worms in the dirt. Peepers stood on top of the henhouse. Alert and tall. Watching for danger.

  “A club? You and your old clubs.” Daniel put his arms around his knees and laid his head against them. “We’ve got real problems. Big problems. If the neighbors complain, the police will take Peepers away. What could a club do?”

  “Keep Peepers a secret,” said Kelsey. “A secret club. For keeping secrets.”

  “I want to be in the club, too,” said Emmy. Daniel stood up so suddenly the tree house rocked. “Wait a minute. That might work.” He chewed his lip in thought. “But not a secret club! A secret society! The Secret Chicken Society.”

  “With passwords and secret handshakes and maybe a secret code,” said Kelsey, pleased.

  Daniel nodded. The Secret Chicken Society. Mission: To keep Peepers a secret. So nobody would find out that he was a rooster. So nobody could take him away.

  “We have to take an oath. A secret oath. A double secret oath. A blood vow!” said Daniel.

  “We can’t use blood anymore. Mom said,” Kelsey reminded him.

  “A spit promise, then.”

  “Eww,” said Emmy. “I’m not doing blood or spit. That’s gross.”

  “Okay, okay,” said Daniel. “A pinkie swear.”

  “No swearing,” said Kelsey. “Mom said.”

  Daniel sighed. It was hard to take a double secret oath without blood or spit or swearing. “Okay. A pinkie promise.”

  Kelsey nodded. She held out her hand and hooked pinkie fingers with Daniel. “Repeat after me,” said Daniel. “I solemnly swear . . .”

  “You mean promise,” Kelsey said.

  Daniel started over. “I solemnly promise . . .”

  “Wait! Wait!” yelled Emmy from beneath the tree. “I want to be a secret chicken, too.”

  Daniel sighed again. He and Kelsey climbed down. Daniel and Kelsey hooked pinkies. Emmy slid her little finger on top of theirs.

  “Repeat after me,” Daniel began again. “I solemnly swear . . .”

  “Promise!” said Kelsey and Emmy together.

  “I solemnly promise . . .”

  “Hey!” said Tyler. He came out the back door. His hair was rumpled. He bit into an apple. “What’cha doing? A pinkie swear?”

  “Pinkie promise!” yelled Daniel, Kelsey, and Emmy.

  Daniel and Kelsey traded glances. “We’ll have to tell him. He’ll find out soon enough.”

  Daniel gave Tyler a stern look. “Okay, but you have to promise not to tell.”

  “Tell what?”

  So Daniel explained, with help from Kelsey. About Peepers being a rooster. About Mr. Grafalo threatening to call the police. About the Secret Chicken Society, dedicated to keeping Peepers a secret.

  Tyler shook his head when they were done. “This will never work,” he said.

  “Well, you don’t have to be in the Secret Chicken Society if you don’t want to help,” said Daniel. “But you still can’t tell.”

  Tyler hooked his pinkie with Daniel’s and Kelsey’s. Emmy put hers on top again. They swore (promised) to keep Peepers a secret. But how?

  Chapter 9

  NOBODY HERE BUT US CHICKENS

  Over the next few days, the Secret Chicken Society tried to carry out its mission: Keep the rooster a secret. Daniel kept track of their attempts in the back of his egg journal.

  Attempt #1: Hide Peepers.

  First, Daniel locked Peepers in the chicken coop. He put food and water inside. He hoped no one would notice Peepers wasn’t outside. But after breakfast, Dad came back from watering the garden. “Don’t we have five chickens?” he asked. “I only see four. Is one missing? Better find her, Daniel. We don’t want them loose in Mr. Grafalo’s garden again.”

  Luckily, Dad didn’t hear Peepers’ happy crow when Daniel let him out of the coop.

  Attempt #2: Keep Peepers Quiet.

  Daniel woke up early the next morning. Er-Er-Er! Pale gray light shone through his curtains. He put on his glasses and peered at his alarm clock. It was only 4:30 A.M.! He groaned.

  Daniel slipped out of the house. The grass felt cool and damp under his bare feet. He opened the wire gate to the chicken run. The chickens were all asleep inside the Hen Hotel. Daniel could hear their soft clucks.

  Peepers crowed again. “Shhh!” hissed Daniel. He opened the door to the coop. He just wanted to tell Peepers to be quiet. A shaft of sunlight lit up the inside of the coop.

  As soon as the door opened, the henhouse exploded with noise. What a ruckus! All the hens squawked. They flapped their wings. Maybe they thought they were under attack. Foxes! Coyotes! Wolves! they seemed to say. Cats! Run for your lives! Peepers protected his hens bravely. He flew down from his roost and danced around, pecking Daniel’s bare toes.

  “Ouch! Stop! It’s just me!” Daniel yelled. He retreated and slammed the door.

  “Daniel! What on earth?” Mom stood at the back door in her bathrobe. “What are you doing? Do you have any idea what time it is?”

  “Sorry, Mom. I thought I heard something.” Daniel didn’t add that he’d heard his rooster crow.

  Attempt #3: Stop Peepers from Crowing.

  Next, Daniel tried putting a muzzle on Peepers. He’d read about that on the Internet. “It isn’t really a muzzle,” he told the members of the Secret Chicken Society (except for Tyler, who had baseball practice). “It’s more like a harness. A rooster can’t crow if he can’t stretch his neck. This cloth holds his head down a little bit.”

  “Will it hurt?” asked Emmy.

  Daniel shook his head. “I don’t think so. And he can breathe and drink and eat just like usual.”

  Emmy and Kelsey watched Daniel struggle to get the cloth on Peepers. The rooster flapped his wings. He squawked. He didn’t want to wear a muzzle. Finally Daniel gave up. “It didn’t work in the video, either,” he said sadly.

  Attempt #4: Put Peepers in the Dark.

  The next day Daniel did some more research. “I’ve got it!” he told Kelsey and Emmy. “Roosters crow only in daylight. So if we can keep Peepers in the dark, he won’t crow.”

  Kelsey made a face. “We can’t keep him in the dark all the time,” she pointed out. “It would be cruel.”

  “I’ll let him out at eight o’clock every morning,” said Daniel. “There’ll be other noises by then. Cars. Lawn mowers. Stuff like that. No one will hear him.”

  He explained that they would put Peepers in a box every night. Daniel would hide the box in the storage cupboard in the garage.

  “There’s plenty of air in there, but it’s dark. So he won’t crow.”

  At dusk Peepers and the hens headed to the coop to roost, just as they did every evening.

  The Secret Chicken Society hid in the bushes to watch. Daniel parted the bushes. Kelsey leaned against him. She peered over his shoulder. Emmy lay flat on the ground. She looked out between Daniel’s feet. (Tyler was at the skate park with friends.)

  The hens went up the ramp to the henhouse. First came Primrose, the white silkie. Her topknot bobbed up and down. Violet waddled behind her. Next was Twinkie, the tall leghorn. She clucked softly as she went inside, as if to say good night. Last in line was T-Rex. She wa
s a Plymouth Rock hen. Her black-and-white feathers reminded Daniel of the chickens on Dad’s kitchen towels.

  Peepers stood guard. He was a bantam rooster, smaller than all his hens. It was clear that he was the boss. He waited until every hen was safe inside. Then he started up the ramp.

  Daniel pounced. He grabbed Peepers. Kelsey opened the box. But Peepers had other ideas. He must have sensed something was wrong. Usually he let Daniel pick him up. But tonight he squawked and flapped and pecked.

  “Ow!” yelled Daniel, dropping the rooster.

  “Grab him!” yelled Emmy. Kelsey reached for Peepers, but he raced away.

  “Gosh,” said Emmy. “He runs fast—for a chicken.”

  Daniel and Kelsey raced after him, but the rooster was too quick. Finally, with a pleased squawk, he flew into the tree. He perched on a high branch.

  “Great,” said Daniel. “What do we do now?”

  “Climb the tree,” said Kelsey.

  Daniel sighed and started up the tree. But every time he got within reach, Peepers flew higher. Finally Daniel was on the same level as Peepers. “Come here,” he whispered. “Come on. Come to Daniel. Pretty Peepers. Nice chicken.”

  Peepers cocked his head. He eyed Daniel suspiciously. His red comb flopped over to one side. He edged away. Daniel stretched out his hand, but he couldn’t quite reach.

  It was nearly dark. Daniel could see Peepers in the twilight. He looked quite pleased with himself.

  “Bedtime!” Dad called from the house. Emmy trotted inside.

  “Better come down,” said Kelsey. “We can try again tomorrow.” She followed Emmy inside.

  Down below, the house windows glowed like lanterns in the blue dusk. Daniel gave up. He climbed partway down. His shirt filled with twigs. He got one long, red scratch on his arm. He jumped the last few feet and brushed a spider web out of his hair.

  Above him, Peepers stretched his neck and crowed. To Daniel’s ears it sounded like the mocking cry of a warrior after beating his enemy. Daniel glared at his pet. Then he shrugged and went inside.

  That night he made a final entry in his journal. Mission: Unaccomplished.

  Chapter 10

  HEN PARTY

  Daniel couldn’t get to sleep. First he was too hot. So he kicked off his covers. Then he was too cold. So he pulled them up. Finally he fell asleep. He dreamed there was a fire. He could hear the sirens. When he woke up, there were no sirens. Only Peepers crowing loudly from the tree.

  Daniel groaned. He opened his eyes. It was barely light! He knew he should try to get his pet to shut up. But he couldn’t make himself get out of bed. He jammed his pillow over his head.

  The next time Daniel woke up, sunlight streamed through his curtains. He’d slept in. The doorbell rang. Daniel rubbed his eyes.

  Daniel heard voices from the hall. He put on his glasses and padded out in his pajamas to see what was going on.

  Dad stood at the open door. Tyler, Emmy, and Kelsey gathered around. Kelsey looked scared. Emmy hid behind Dad, clutching her stuffed lion. Tyler was eating a banana. Mom was already at work.

  Two police officers stood at the door. Both wore blue uniforms. One officer was tall and thin. The other was short and stout. Here is my handle, here is my spout, thought Daniel. He pushed the thought away. This was no time for nursery songs.

  “What’s going on?” Daniel asked. “Is something wrong?”

  The stout officer looked at Dad. “We’ve had a complaint about a rooster. Crowing. Disturbing the peace. Do you have a rooster?”

  Dad shook his head. “Five hens,” he said.

  The short officer nodded. “Hens aren’t a problem, but roosters are illegal in the city.”

  Daniel swallowed. “If somebody has a rooster, what happens?”

  The stout officer didn’t smile. “The owner has fourteen days to get rid of it. If the rooster isn’t removed, we are authorized to seize it.”

  “And do what?” asked Daniel. But in his heart he knew. He knew what happened to stray dogs and cats if no one gave them a home.

  The Secret Chicken Society met in the tree house right after breakfast. “I’ll bet it was Mr. Grafalo who complained,” said Kelsey.

  “Grumpy Mr. Gruffalo,” said Emmy.

  “He was always grouchy,” said Daniel slowly. “But I think he’s gotten worse since Mrs. G. had to go live at Willowdale.”

  “Maybe he misses her,” said Kelsey. “I miss her.”

  “Me too,” said Emmy. “But if you ask me, Mr. Gruffalo is still a big buffalo!”

  The hens were in the yard, pecking in the weeds. Peepers had come down from the tree. He stood watch near the hens. Suddenly he fluffed out his feathers and beat the air with his wings. Squawk! Squawk! An orange streak shot under the fence. Poison!

  “Nice,” said Kelsey. “He does his job.”

  “Did you hear him crow this morning? I don’t know how Mom and Dad missed it. For a little guy, he sure is loud.” Daniel chewed his lower lip.

  “What will the police do if they find out about Peepers?” asked Emmy from the foot of the tree. “Will they put him in jail?”

  “Worse,” said Kelsey.

  “Much worse,” groaned Daniel.

  “What, then?” yelled Emmy impatiently.

  Daniel stared at her solemnly. “They’ll kill him,” he said.

  “Kill Peepers? No!” yelled Emmy.

  “And eat him,” added Kelsey.

  “That’s awful!” Emmy started to cry. “Poor Peepers!”

  “We have to keep him from crowing!” said Daniel. “We just have to!”

  All afternoon Daniel looked in books and on the Internet. He reported back to the SCS.

  “Roosters will crow any time of the day,” he told Kelsey and Emmy. (Tyler was at the mall.) “But they mostly crow at dawn.”

  Kelsey nodded. “But we tried everything. What else can we do?”

  “I have an idea,” said Daniel. “If we can keep the coop dark, he won’t crow. But to be extra sure, we can insulate it. So sounds won’t get out.”

  With Tyler’s help, the Secret Chicken Society insulated the Hen Hotel. They used empty cardboard egg cartons to muffle sound. They used black plastic trash bags to keep out the light. Fortunately, Mom was at work. When Dad was working on his website, he didn’t notice what went on around him.

  At dusk Peepers herded his hens into the chicken coop to roost. Then he followed them up the ramp and went inside. Daniel fastened the door behind them.

  “They want to be in the coop at night,” Daniel told his sisters. “They feel safe inside. That’s why birds roost in trees. So foxes and coyotes and raccoons don’t get them.”

  The insulation seemed to work. If Peepers crowed at dawn, no one in the house could hear it. Daniel didn’t think the neighbors could, either.

  After breakfast Daniel fed and watered all his pets and let the hens out to forage. They seemed happy with their newly redecorated quarters. At any rate, they didn’t complain.

  “Everything’s under control,” Daniel told Kelsey and Emmy at the next SCS meeting a few days later. “We’ve got it licked.”

  But his conscience prickled. Mom and Dad were still in the dark (so to speak) about Peepers being a rooster. Mom and Dad trusted the hens to Daniel’s care. Even though he hadn’t told a lie, it didn’t feel right to keep a secret from them.

  Chapter 11

  JAILBIRD

  One day about two weeks later the weather turned hot. Daniel checked his pets. Jasper drank noisily from his bottle. Speedy panted in his cage. Mr. Feathers fluffed out his feathers and closed his eyes. The guppies were the only ones staying cool. They swam comfortably around in their tank, looking happy.

  The SCS members sat in the tree house—at least Daniel and Kelsey did. Emmy sat on the grass. Tyler was at a ball game. Not a breeze stirred the leaves on the trees. Bees buzzed in the garden. The chickens rested in the shade, not making much noise.

  “It’s too hot to do anything,” said Kelse
y, fanning herself.

  “Too hot to think,” said Daniel. He rubbed the sweat off his forehead with his arm.

  “Too hot to pink,” said Emmy. She peeled the petals off a daisy and flung them into the air.

  “Too hot to stink,” said Daniel, and they all laughed.

  “Can we have ice pops?” Emmy called to Dad. He was working on his laptop on the back porch. He nodded.

  “Bring me an orange one,” he said.

  “Can we run through the sprinkler?” asked Kelsey.

  “Sure,” said Dad. “But set it up in the front yard. That grass could use some water.”

  They went out the side gate to the front yard, dragging the hose and sprinkler. Daniel didn’t see the curious hens follow them out front.

  The kids put on their swimming suits and ran through the spray. The cold water felt delightful. When they were completely soaked, Emmy brought out the ice pops. They sat on the hot cement steps, watching the sprinkler make rainbows in the sky. Daniel had raspberry, his favorite. He licked it. The drips ran down his arm.

  “Look, blood,” he told Emmy.

  “Eww,” she said. She had a blue ice pop. Her lips and tongue were blue.

  Just then Dot and Dash ran over from next door, yapping. Dash jumped up on Emmy. He licked her face. He knocked the ice pop out of her hand.

  “My ice pop!” cried Emmy. “Bad doggies!” The ice pop lay melting on the sidewalk. The poodles lapped it up.

  “Dot!” called Miss Clay. “Dash!” She stood on her front porch and clapped her hands. The poodles paid no attention to her. They spotted the hens. Yap! Yap! they barked.

  Daniel wasn’t sure what happened next. Suddenly there was a flurry of feathers. Peepers! He spread his wings and arched his back. He danced up on his toes. The feathers on his neck ruffled. He flapped his wings. He charged!

  Yip! Yip! The poodles ran down the sidewalk like black and white streaks. The rooster chased them, darting and pecking. Squawk! Squawk!