“Oh, no,” I said warmly. “I know whenever I get a good look into a bird’s eye whether I can trust him or not.”
“Come along, then,” said Chummy, deeply gratified, and I flew beside him to his little house.
CHAPTER VI
CHUMMY TELLS THE STORY OF A NAUGHTY SQUIRREL
OH, how snug!” I exclaimed. “You have a little hall and a bedroom, and how clean it is! The old birds say they like to see a bird tidy his nest from one year to another. Do you keep the same mate?”
“I do,” he replied. “I always have Jennie, but as you probably know, sparrows don’t pair till spring. In the winter the birds are in flocks. Jennie is spending these hard months with her parents downtown near the station because the food supply is better there. I often go to see her, and I expect her back soon to begin housekeeping. We like to get ahead of the others in nesting, for there are evil birds who try every year to drive us from our desirable home.”
“Everything born has to fight,” I said cheerfully.
“I don’t know much about canaries,” said Chummy. “All that I have seen were very exclusive and haughty, and looked down on us street birds.”
“Some of my family are that way,” I sighed, “but I have been much with human beings and my little head has more wisdom in it.”
“I like you,” Chummy began to say heartily; then he stopped short, cried out, and said, “Duck your head quick and come inside!”