The men had milked the cows in the early morning and then had gone out rabbiting, without bothering to feed the animals.
When Mr. Jones got back he immediately went to sleep on the drawing-room sofa with the News of the World over his face, so that when evening came, the animals were still unfed.
At last they could stand it no longer.
One of the cows broke in the door of the store-shed with her horn and all the animals began to help themselves from the bins.
It was just then that Mr. Jones woke up.
The next moment he and his four men were in the store-shed with whips in their hands, lashing out in all directions.
This was more than the hungry animals could bear.
With one accord, though nothing of the kind had been planned beforehand, they flung themselves upon their tormentors.
Jones and his men suddenly found themselves being butted and kicked from all sides.
The situation was quite out of their control.