ne where Mr. Crow was
sitting. Then, dropping nimbly from limb to limb, with the help of his
hands and his feet and his tail, he stopped at last when he had
reached Mr. Crow's level.

One thing was certain. The stranger was bold as brass. He looked Mr.
Crow up and down. And then he said:

"You're a gay old bird! What's your name?"

Now, no doubt some people would have been angry. But Mr. Crow rather
liked to be called gay, because he couldn't help looking solemn. And
most people knew he was very old. And everybody was aware he was a
bird. So he said hoarsely:

"My name is Mister Crow--and please don't forget the _Mister_."

The stranger put on his flat-topped red cap and touched the visor
smartly with his right hand, in a military manner.

Old Mr. Crow couldn't help admiring the newcomer's clothes. He wore a
red coat trimmed with gold braid, and bright blue trousers.

"That's a handsome suit that you have on," Mr. Crow observed. "I
shouldn't mind having one like it myself."

The stranger seemed pleased. And he touched his cap again.

"I'm afraid you can't have a suit like this," he said. "It's a
_uniform_--that's what it is. And, of course, a plain _Mister_ like you
can't wear a uniform. But I wear one because I'm a soldier."

Old Mr. Crow was disappointed. But he soon brightened up. Though he
wasn't a soldier himself, at least it was pleasant to know one. So he
decided to forget that he had been angry with the stranger.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Major Monkey," said the newcomer, knocking off his cap with one hand
and catching it with the other as it fell. "When you speak to me,
please don't forget the _Major_," he added.

III

Getting Acquainted

Major Monkey and old Mr. Crow had a long talk. They got on famously
together, because the old gentleman liked to pry into other people's
affairs and the Major loved to talk about himself.

In reply to Mr. Crow's questions, Major Monkey explained that he was a
great traveller. And having found himself in the village a few miles
away, he had taken a notion to see the surrounding country.

"This is a delightful spot," the Major remarked. "And if your
neighbors are half as pleasant as you are, I think I'll stay right
here for the present."

Naturally, old Mr. Crow was flattered. He couldn't remember when
anybody had said he was pleasant.

"I hope you will settle in Pleasant Valley," he told Major Monkey. "As
for the neighbors--well, you'll f