tupid at all, had flown away when he ought to have
sat still. It was very provoking.

CHAPTER VII: Blacky Tries Another Plan

When one plan fails, just try another;
Declare you'll win some way or other.

People who succeed are those who do not give up because they fail the
first time they try. They are the ones who, as soon as one plan fails,
get busy right away and think of another plan and try that. If the thing
they are trying to do is a good thing, sooner or later they succeed. If
they are trying to do a wrong thing, very likely all their plans fail,
as they should.

Now Blacky the Crow knows all about the value of trying and trying. He
isn't easily discouraged. Sometimes it is a pity that he isn't, because
he plans so much mischief. But the fact remains that he isn't, and he
tries and tries until he cannot think of another plan and just has to
give up. When he invited all his relatives to join him in tormenting
Hooty the Owl, he thought he had a plan that just couldn't fail. He felt
sure that Mrs. Hooty would leave her nest and help Hooty try to drive
away his tormentors. But Mrs. Hooty didn't do anything of the kind,
because Hooty was smart enough and thoughtful enough to lead his
tormentors away from the nest into the darkest part of the Green Forest
where their noise wouldn't bother Mrs. Hooty. So she just settled
herself more comfortably than ever on those eggs which Blacky had hoped
she would give him a chance to steal, and his fine plan was quite upset.

Not one of his relatives had noticed that nest. They had been too busy
teasing Hooty. This was just as Blacky had hoped. He didn't want them to
know about that nest because he was selfish and wanted to get those eggs
just for himself alone. But now he knew that the only way he could get
Mrs. Hooty off of them would be by teasing her so that she would lose
her temper and try to catch some of her tormentors. If she did that,
there would be a chance that he might slip in and get at least one of
those eggs.

He would try it.

For a few minutes he listened to the noise of his relatives growing
fainter and fainter, as Hooty led them farther and farther into the
Green Forest. Then he opened his mouth.

"Caw, caw, caw, caw!" he screamed. "Caw, caw, caw, caw! Come back,
everybody! Here is Mrs. Hooty on her nest! Caw, caw, caw, caw!"

Now as soon as they heard that, all Blacky's relatives stopped chasing
and tormenting Hooty and started back as fas