On the way along the lake road to Camp Rest-a-While they passed a farmyard where many geese, ducks, turkeys and chickens were kept.  Just as Sue, who happened to be wearing a red dress, came near the yard, a big turkey gobbler, who seemed to be the king of the barnyard, rushed to the gate, managed to push his way through the crack, and, a moment later, was attacking Sue, biting her legs with his strong beak, now pulling at her red dress, and occasionally flying up from the ground trying to strike his claws into her face.

“Oh dear!” cried the little girl.  “Won’t somebody please help me?  Drive him away, Bunny!”

“I will!” cried her little brother, and, catching up a stick, he bravely rushed at the angry turkey gobbler.

CHAPTER XVII

SUE DECIDES TO MAKE A PIE

“Here.  You’re too little for such a job as this!” cried Tom, as he stepped in front of Bunny.  “That’s an old, tough bird and he’s a born fighter.  Better let me tackle him.”

Bunny was a brave little boy, but when he saw how large and fierce the gobbler was his heart failed him a little.  The big Thanksgiving bird just then made a furious rush at Sue, and as she jumped back Tom stepped up in her place.  The turkey did not seem to mind whom he attacked, as long as it was some one, though probably Sue’s red dress had excited him in the first place, though why bulls and turkeys should not like red I can not tell you.

“Look out, Tom!” called Bunny.  “He’s a bad one!”

“He certainly is fierce all right,” answered Tom.  “He’s coming with a rush!”

As he spoke the turkey made a rush for him, keeping off the ground with outstretched wings and claws.  He went:  “Gobble-obble-obble!” in loud tones as though trying to scare the children.

Tom was ready with a heavy stick he had caught up, and as the big bird sailed at him through the air the lad aimed a blow at the gobbler.

But the turkey seemed to be on the lookout for this, and dodged.  Then, before Tom could get ready for another blow, the gobbler landed back of the lad, and came on with another rush.

“Look out!” cried Bunny, but his warning came too late.  The turkey landed on Tom’s back and began nipping and clawing him.

“Get off!  Get off!” cried the poorhouse lad, trying in vain to reach up with his club and hit the gobbler hard enough to knock him to the ground.

But Tom’s club was of little use, with the big bird on his back.  Bunny saw this and cried: 

“Wait a minute and I’ll throw some stones at him.”

“You might hit Tom instead of the gobbler,” said Sue, who was safe out of harm’s way behind a big pile of wood.  “Don’t throw any stones, Bunny.”

“No, you’d better not,” said Tom.  “I’ll try to shake him off.”

So he rushed about here and there, swaying his back from side to side, trying to make the turkey fall off.  But the gobbler had fastened his claws in the back of Tom’s ragged coat, and there he clung, now and then nipping with his strong bill Tom’s head and neck.