tured Peter.

Chewink nodded. "Of course," said he. "As a matter of fact, I've got a
nest in this very thicket. Mrs. Towhee is on it right now, and I suspect
she's worrying and anxious to know what happened over here when you
warned me about Reddy Fox. I think I must go over and set her mind at
rest."

Peter was just about to ask if he might go along and see that nest when
a new voice broke in.

"What are you fellows talking about?" it demanded, and there flitted
just in front of Peter a little bird the size of a Sparrow but lovelier
than any Sparrow of Peter's acquaintance. At first glance he seemed
to be all blue, and such a lovely bright blue. But as he paused for an
instant Peter saw that his wings and tail were mostly black and that
the lovely blue was brightest on his head and back. It was Indigo the
Bunting.

"We were talking about our family," replied Chewink. "I was telling
Peter that we belong to the largest family among the birds."

"But you didn't say anything about Indigo," interrupted Peter. "Do you
mean to say that he belongs to the same family?"

"I surely do," replied Indigo. "I'm rather closely related to the
Sparrow branch. Don't I look like a Sparrow?"

Peter looked at Indigo closely. "In size and shape you do," he
confessed, "but just the same I should never in the world have thought
of connecting you with the Sparrows."

"How about me?" asked another voice, and a little brown bird flew
up beside Indigo, twitching her tail nervously. She looked very
Sparrow-like indeed, so much so, that if Peter had not seen her with her
handsome mate, for she was Mrs. Indigo, he certainly would have taken
her for a Sparrow.

Only on her wings and tail was there any of the blue which made Indigo's
coat so beautiful, and this was only a faint tinge.

"I'll have to confess that so far as you are concerned it isn't hard
to think of you as related to the Sparrows," declared Peter. "Don't you
sometimes wish you were as handsomely dressed as Indigo?"

Mrs. Indigo shook her head in a most decided way. "Never!" she declared.
"I have worries enough raising a family as it is, but if I had a coat
like his I wouldn't have a moment of peace. You have no idea how I worry
about him sometimes. You ought to be thankful, Peter Rabbit, that you
haven't a coat like his. It attracts altogether too much attention."

Peter tried to picture himself in a bright blue coat and laughed right
out at the mere thought, and the othe