sn't there now; he had gone south in the fell
and wouldn't be back until he was sure that Mistress Spring had arrived
on the Green Meadows and in the Green Forest.

Like the black imp he is, Blacky flew over the tree-tops, his sharp eyes
watching for something interesting below. Presently he saw ahead of him
the old nest of Red-tail. He knew all about that nest. He had visited
it before when Red-tail was away. Still it might be worth another visit.
You never can tell what you may find in old houses. Now, of course,
Blacky knew perfectly well that Redtail was miles and miles, hundreds
of miles away, and so there was nothing to fear from him. But Blacky
learned ever so long ago that there is nothing like making sure that
there is no danger. So, instead of flying straight to that old nest, he
first flew over the tree so that he could look down into it.

Right away he saw something that made him gasp and blink his eyes. It
was quite large and white, and it looked--it looked very much indeed
like an egg! Do you wonder that Blacky gasped and blinked? Here was snow
on the ground, and Rough Brother North Wind and Jack Frost had given no
hint that they were even thinking of going back to the Far North. The
idea of any one laying an egg at this time of year! Blacky flew over to
a tall pine-tree to think it over.

"Must be it was a little lump of snow," thought he. "Yet if ever I saw
an egg, that looked like one. Jumping grasshoppers, how good an egg
would taste right now!" You know Blacky has a weakness for eggs. The
more he thought about it, the hungrier he grew. Several times he almost
made up his mind to fly straight over there and make sure, but he didn't
quite dare. If it were an egg, it must belong to somebody, and perhaps
it would be best to find out who. Suddenly Blacky shook himself. "I must
be dreaming," said he. "There couldn't, there just couldn't be an egg at
this time of year, or in that old tumble-down nest! I'll just fly away
and forget it."

So he flew away, but he couldn't forget it. He kept thinking of it all
day, and when he went to sleep that night he made up his mind to have
another look at that old nest.

CHAPTER II: Blacky Makes Sure

"As true as ever I've cawed a caw
That was a new-laid egg I saw."

"What are you talking about?" demanded Sammy Jay, coming up just in time
to hear the last part of what Blacky the Crow was mumbling to himself.

"Oh nothing, Cousin, nothing at all," replie