“Oh, won’t it be killed?” Vevi asked anxiously.
“Not that bird,” answered the captain. “A chimney swift always builds its nest in a chimney. I’ll tell you all about it.”
The old seaman recounted everything he knew about the bird, which was a great deal, indeed.
“Oh, thank you!” Vevi said gratefully. “Now I’ll be able to make my report!”
She raced into the cottage ahead of the captain to tell the Brownies what she had learned.
“My bird lives right here in the chimney!” she declared. “He’s soot colored. He’s called a swift because he’s so fast on the wing. When he eats insects he keeps his mouth wide open, snapping at them as he flies through the air.”
“Where did you learn all that so fast?” Jane demanded suspiciously.
“The chimney swift is the most active in cloudy weather and in the evening,” Vevi recited. “Their nests are cup-shaped, made of tiny twigs. There’s one in the chimney now!”
“Why, Vevi, that’s a fine report,” praised Miss Gordon.
“But it’s not about a water bird,” Jane insisted. “It doesn’t count.”