Apart from the disputes over the windmil , there was the question of the defence of the farm. It was ful y realised that though the human beings had been defeated in the Battle of the Cowshed they might make another and more determined attempt to recapture the farm and reinstate Mr. Jones. They had al the more reason for doing so because the news of their defeat had spread across the countryside and made the animals on the neighbouring farms more restive than ever. As usual, Snowbal and Napoleon were in disagreement. According to Napoleon, what the animals must do was to procure firearms and train themselves in the use of them. According to Snowbal , they must send out more and more pigeons and stir up rebel ion among the animals on the other farms. The one argued that if they could not defend themselves they were bound to be conquered, the other argued that if rebel ions happened everywhere they would have no need to defend themselves. The animals listened first to Napoleon, then to Snowbal , and could not make up their minds which was right; indeed, they always found themselves in agreement with the one who was speaking at the moment.

At last the day came when Snowbal 's plans were completed. At the Meeting on the fol owing Sunday the question of whether or not to begin work on the windmil was to be put to the vote. When the animals had assembled in the big barn, Snowbal stood up and, though occasional y interrupted by bleating from the sheep, set forth his reasons for advocating the building of the windmil . Then Napoleon stood up to reply. He said very quietly that the windmil was nonsense and that he advised nobody to vote for it, and promptly sat down again; he had spoken for barely thirty seconds, and seemed almost indifferent as to the effect he produced. At this Snowbal sprang to his feet, and shouting down the sheep, who had begun bleating again, broke into a passionate appeal in favour of the windmil . Until now the animals had been about equal y divided in their sympathies, but in a moment Snowbal 's eloquence had carried them away. In glowing sentences he painted a picture of Animal Farm as it might be when sordid labour was lifted from the animals' backs. His imagination had now run far beyond chaff-cutters and turnip-slicers. Electricity, he said, could operate threshing machines, ploughs, harrows, rol ers, and reapers and binders, besides supplying every stal with its own electric light, hot and cold water, and an electric heater. By the time he had finished speaking, there was no doubt as to which way the vote would go. But just at this moment Napoleon stood up and, casting a peculiar sidelong look at Snowbal , uttere d a high-pitched whimper of a kind no one had ever heard him utter before. At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded col ars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowbal , who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws. In a moment he was out of the door and they were after him. Too amazed and frightened to speak, al the animals crowded through the door to watch the chase. Snowbal was racing across the long pasture that led to the road. He was running as only a pig can run, but the dogs were close on his heels. Suddenly he slipped and it seemed certain that they had him. Then he was up again, running faster than ever, then the dogs were gaining on him again. One of them al but closed his jaws on Snowbal 's tail, but Snowbal whisked it free just in time.