ther Nature has made my legs very short. You see I spend most of my
time in the air."

"I suppose it's the same with your cousin; Sooty the Chimney Swallow,"
said Johnny.

"That shows just how much some people know!" twittered Skimmer
indignantly. "The idea of calling Sooty a Swallow! The very idea! I'd
leave you to know, Johnny Chuck, that Sooty isn't even related to me.
He's a Swift, and not a Swallow."

"He looks like a Swallow," protested Johnny Chuck.

"He doesn't either. You just think he does because he happens to spend
most of his time in the air the way we Swallows do," sputtered Skimmer.
"The Swallow family never would admit such a homely looking fellow as he
is as a member.

"Tut, tut, tut, tut! I do believe Skimmer is jealous," cried Jenny Wren,
who had happened along just in time to hear Skimmer's last remarks.

"Nothing of the sort," declared Skimmer, growing still more indignant.
"I'd like to know what there is about Sooty the Chimney Swift that could
possibly make a Swallow jealous."

Jenny Wren cocked her tail up in that saucy way of hers and winked at
Johnny Chuck. "The way he can fly," said she softly.

"The way he can fly!" sputtered Skimmer, "The way he can fly! Why, there
never was a day in his life that he could fly like a Swallow. There
isn't any one more graceful on the wing than I am, if I do say so. And
there isn't any one more ungraceful than Sooty."

Just then there was a shrill chatter overhead and all looked up to see
Sooty the Chimney Swift racing through the sky as if having the very
best time in the world. His wings would beat furiously and then he would
glide very much as you or I would on skates. It was quite true that he
wasn't graceful. But he could twist and turn and cut up all sorts of
antics, such as Skimmer never dreamed of doing.

"He can use first one wing and then the other, while you have to use
both wings at once," persisted Jenny Wren. "You couldn't, to save your
life, go straight down into a chimney, and you know it, Skimmer. He can
do things with his wings which you can't do, nor any other bird."

"That may be true, but just the same I'm not the least teeny weeny bit
jealous of him," said Skimmer, and darted away to get beyond the reach
of Jenny's sharp tongue.

"Is it really true that he and Sooty are not related?" asked Johnny
Chuck, as they watched Skimmer cutting airy circles high up in the slay.

Jenny nodded. "It's quite true, Johnny," said site. "So