if you had been in farmer green's door-yard on a certain day in may you would have heard an unusual twittering and chirping and squawking.

now, there was a reason for all this chatter. jolly robin's wife had seen a handsome stranger in the orchard. and she had hurried away to spread the news among her friends.

"he's a dashing person, very elegantly dressed," mrs. robin told everybody.

that remark did not seem to please the good lady's husband. for jolly robin turned up his nose—or his bill—slightly, and he said to his wife, "the question is: what are his manners like?"

mrs. robin admitted that the stranger's manners were not all that one might wish.

"he was somewhat noisy," she explained. "and i fear he may be quarrelsome. but his clothes certainly were beautiful."

jasper jay, who was something of a dandy, wanted to know exactly what the stranger wore. he said he doubted that the newcomer was as fashionable as mrs. robin supposed.

"i can't tell you much about his suit," mrs. robin went on, "except that it was new and stylish. what i noticed specially was his cap. it was a big one and it was a brilliant red."

jasper jay sniffed when he heard that.

"they're not wearing red caps this season," he declared. he flew off then, to find his cousin mr. crow and tell him the news. for he hoped that mr. crow would give the stranger a disagreeable greeting. jasper jay did not like other birds to be more gayly dressed than he.

while all the feathered folk in the neighborhood were wondering who the stranger could be old mr. crow came winging over from the edge of the woods.

"where is he?" he squalled. "let me have one look at this new arrival! i think i know who he is."

a little later mr. crow had his look, over in the orchard. then he came back and alighted in the tall grass behind the farmhouse.

"he's a red-headed woodpecker," mr. crow announced with a wise tilt of his own head. "there hasn't been one of his kind in pleasant valley for years and years.... it's a pity," he added, "that this one has stopped here."

the old gentleman's words threw little mrs. chippy into a flutter.

"is he a dangerous person?" she quavered.

"i believe so," said mr. crow darkly.

"does he eat eggs?" mrs. chippy faltered. "and nestlings?"

for a moment or two old mr. crow couldn't make up his mind whether he ought to get angry or not. eating eggs and young birds was a subject he liked to avoid. he was aware that his neighbors knew he was a rascal. but he was a quick-witted old fellow. suddenly he saw how the presence of this stranger might help him.

"yes!" he told mrs. chippy. "this woodpecker family all eat eggs and nestlings. and if you people miss any of your treasures, later, you'll know who took them."

at that little mr. chippy nodded his chestnut-crowned head.

"if it isn't you," he remarked to mr. crow, "then it will be the stranger."

"not at all! not at all!" the old gentleman squawked. "you'll be safe in thinking the newcomer guilty." then he turned his back on mr. chippy, as if that small, shrinking chap weren't worth noticing. and favoring mrs. chippy with what he thought was a pleasant smile, mr. crow said to her, "you mustn't let this red-head know where your nest is. no doubt you have eggs in it already."

"yes, i have!" she twittered proudly.

"i certainly hope red-head won't steal them," said mr. crow. "it would be a shame if you lost your beautiful eggs.... where is your nest, mrs. chippy?"

"don't tell him!" peeped mr. chippy to his wife. "he wants to eat our eggs himself."

as for mr. crow, he gave a hoarse cry of rage, before he flapped himself away.