hung his head. He knew that it was true. More than once, in fact many
times, he had warned other feathered folks when Farmer Brown's boy had
been hunting for their nests, and had helped to lead him away.

At last Blacky threw up his head and chuckled, and this time his chuckle
was good to hear. "I'm glad that Farmer Brown's boy didn't take those
eggs," said he right out loud. "Yes, sir, I'm glad. I'll never do such
a thing as that again. I'm ashamed of what I did; yet I'm glad I did
it. I'm glad because I've learned some things. I've learned that Farmer
Brown's boy isn't as much to be feared as he used to be. I've learned
that Hooty isn't as stupid as I thought he was. I've learned that while
it may be all right for us people of the Green Forest to try to outwit
each other we ought to protect each other against common dangers. And
I've learned something I didn't know before, and that is that Hooty the
Owl is the very first of us to set up housekeeping. Now I think I'll go
hunt for an honest meal." And he did.

CHAPTER XIV: Blacky Makes A Call

Judge no one by his style of dress;
Your ignorance you thus confess.
--Blacky the Crow.

"Caw, caw, caw, caw." There was no need of looking to see who that was.
Peter Rabbit knew without looking. Mrs. Quack knew without looking. Just
the same, both looked up. Just alighting in the top of a tall tree was
Blacky the Crow. "Caw, caw, caw, caw," he repeated, looking down at
Peter and Mrs. Quack and Mr. Quack and the six young Quacks. "I hope I
am not interrupting any secret gossip."

"Not at all," Peter hastened to say. "Mrs. Quack was just telling me
of the troubles and clangers in bringing up a young family in the Far
North. How did you know the Quacks had arrived?"

Blacky chuckled hoarsely. "I didn't," said he. "I simply thought there
might be something going on I didn't know about over here in the pond
of Paddy the Beaver, so I came over to find out. Mr. Quack, you and Mrs.
Quack are looking very fine this fall. And those handsome young Quacks,
you don't mean to tell me that they are your children!"

Mrs. Quack nodded proudly. "They are," said she.

"You don't say so!" exclaimed Blacky, as if he were very much surprised,
when all the time he wasn't surprised at all. "They are a credit to
their parents. Yes, indeed, they are a credit to their parents. Never
have I seen finer young Ducks in all my life. How glad the hunters with
terrible guns will be to see the