apped her bright eyes at Peter, and disappeared in her house.

CHAPTER XII. Some Unlikely Relatives.

Having other things to attend to, or rather having other things to
arouse his curiosity, Peter Rabbit did not visit the Old Orchard for
several days. When he did it was to find the entire neighborhood quite
upset. There was an indignation meeting in progress in and around the
tree in which Chebec and his modest little wife had their home. How the
tongues did clatter! Peter knew that something had happened, but though
he listened with all his might he couldn't make head or tail of it.

Finally Peter managed to get the attention of Jenny Wren. "What's
happened?" demanded Peter. "What's all this fuss about?"

Jenny Wren was so excited that she couldn't keep still an instant. Her
sharp little eyes snapped and her tail was carried higher than ever.
"It's a disgrace! It's a disgrace to the whole feathered race, and
something ought to be done about it!" sputtered Jenny. "I'm ashamed to
think that such a contemptible creature wears feathers! I am so!"

"But what's it all about?" demanded Peter impatiently. "Do keep still
long enough to tell me. Who is this contemptible creature?"

"Sally Sly," snapped Jenny Wren. "Sally Sly the Cowbird. I hoped she
wouldn't disgrace the Old Orchard this year, but she has. When Mr. and
Mrs. Chebec returned from getting their breakfast this morning they
found one of Sally Sly's eggs in their nest. They are terribly upset,
and I don't blame them. If I were in their place I simply would throw
that egg out. That's what I'd do, I'd throw that egg out!"

Peter was puzzled. He blinked his eyes and stroked his whiskers as he
tried to understand what it all meant. "Who is Sally Sly, and what did
she do that for?" he finally ventured.

"For goodness' sake, Peter Rabbit, do you mean to tell me you don't
know who Sally Sly is?" Then without waiting for Peter to reply, Jenny
rattled on. "She's a member of the Blackbird family and she's the
laziest, most good-for-nothing, sneakiest, most unfeeling and most
selfish wretch I know of!" Jenny paused long enough to get her breath.
"She laid that egg in Chebec's nest because she is too lazy to build a
nest of her own and too selfish to take care of her own children. Do you
know what will happen, Peter Rabbit? Do you know what will happen?"

Peter shook his head and confessed that he didn't. "When that egg
hatches out, that young Cowbird will be about tw