"Let's start a band," suggested Mr. Hairy Woodpecker.
"What's that you say?" asked Mr. Red-Headed Woodpecker, who had been so busy at work that he had not heard what Mr. Hairy Woodpecker had been suggesting.
"A band," repeated Mr. Hairy Woodpecker.
"What sort of a band?" asked Mr. Red-Headed Woodpecker.
"In the first place," continued Mr. Hairy Woodpecker, "our bills are not only fine tools for the work we have to do getting the insects from the trees, and burrowing for our nests, but they would be splendid to use in beating the drums in a band."
"Where would we get the drums?" asked Mr. Red-Headed Woodpecker.
"The trees, of course, you silly!" said Mr. Hairy Woodpecker.
"Oh yes, yes," agreed Mr. Red-Headed Woodpecker.
And Mr. Downy Woodpecker said, "Of course, of course. The trees will be our drums."
"We'll get the other birds," said Mr. Hairy Woodpecker, "to help us. We need something in a band besides the drums. We will ask the goldfinches, the mocking-birds, the bobolinks, the phœbe and chickadee families, all of the warbler and vireo families, and the robins of course. Then I think we'll ask the orioles, the whippoorwills, the thrush family, and the song sparrows."