front of the hole. Then two or three more
little chips fell. Peter knew that they must come from up in the Big
Hickory-tree, and right away his curiosity was aroused. Redwing was
singing so happily that Peter felt sure no danger was near, so he hopped
outside and looked up to find out where those little chips had come
from. Just a few feet above his head he saw a round hole in the trunk
of the Big Hickory-tree. While he was looking at it, a head with a long
stout bill was thrust out and in that bill were two or three little
chips. Peter's heart gave a little jump of glad surprise.

"Yellow Wing!" he cried. "My goodness, how you startled me!"

The chips were dropped and the head was thrust farther out. The sides
and throat were a soft reddish-tan and on each side at the beginning of
the bill was a black patch. The top of the head was gray and just at the
back was a little band of bright red. There was no mistaking that head.
It belonged to Yellow Wing the Flicker beyond a doubt.

"Hello, Peter!" exclaimed Yellow Wing, his eyes twinkling. "What are you
doing here?"

"Nothing," replied Peter, "but I want to know what you are doing. What
are all those chips?"

"I'm fixing up this old house of mine," replied Yellow Wing promptly.
"It wasn't quite deep enough to suit me, so I am making it a little
deeper. Mrs. Yellow Wing and I haven't been able to find another house
to suit us, so we have decided to live here again this year." He came
wholly out and flew down on the ground near Peter. When his wings
were spread, Peter saw that on the under sides they were a beautiful
golden-yellow, as were the under sides of his tail feathers. Around his
throat was a broad, black collar. From this, clear to his tail, were
black dots. When his wings were spread, the upper part of his body just
above the tail was pure white.

"My," exclaimed Peter, "you are a handsome fellow! I never realized
before how handsome you are."

Yellow Wing looked pleased. Perhaps he felt a little flattered. "I
am glad you think so, Peter," said he. "I am rather proud of my suit,
myself. I don't know of any member of my family with whom I would change
coats."

A sudden thought struck Peter. "What family do you belong to?" He asked
abruptly.

"The Woodpecker family," replied Yellow Wing proudly.

CHAPTER XI. Drummers and Carpenters.

Peter Rabbit was so full of questions that he hardly knew which one to
ask first. But Yellow Wing the Flicker didn't