The next morning when Billy woke up, he ran to his bedroom window and looked out at the garden.   There in the early morning sun was a flock of black crows.   They were walking along the garden, pecking at the soil.

Billy pushed his window up and yelled, "Shoo.   Shoo you dumb crows."

The crows didn't seem to pay any attention to his yells.   They just kept on walking up and down each row and pecking at the soil.

Billy ran down stairs and slammed out the back door with his pajamas flapping in the morning breeze.   He ran toward the garden.

"Shoo..get outta my garden!" he yelled.

The crows flapped their wings and sailed away up to the utility wires.   They looked down at Billy and waited until he went back into the house.   When he closed the back door, the crows flew back into the garden and continued eating their breakfast.

"Mom, what are we gonna do about those crows?   They just keep coming back and stealing our seeds.   They peck right down into the soil and eat the seed!"

"I don't know, Billy, let's ask Dad when he comes in at noon."

Mr. Johnson came up to the house on his tractor at noontime for his dinner.

"Dad, Dad," yelled Billy as he ran out to meet his father.   "Those darn crows were in the garden all morning eating our seeds.   I kept running out there to scare them away, but they just come back.   What can we do to keep them out of our garden?"

"Hey, slow down there Son," said Mr. Johnson as he took off his straw hat, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

They walked into the house together.   As they were washing their hands at the kitchen sink, Mr. Johnson said, "I remember my grandma's garden.   She always had a scarecrow standing in the middle of it.   She said that it helped keep the birds away from her strawberries.   Maybe you and Mom could make one for your garden.   What do you think?"

"Oh.   Wow!" exclaimed Billy.   "That's a neat idea."  

"What's all the excitement about?" asked Mrs. Johnson as she walked into the kitchen.

"Mom, Dad just had the bestest idea.   He said to make a scarecrow for our garden.   Can we Mom?   Can we?   How would you make one?   Can I help?"  

"Billy, settle down and eat your dinner." said Mrs. Johnson.   "We'll figure out something."