loved by Master William Strong, otherwise 
known as Billy. 
The skunk that had once or twice visited the 
poultry yard and had taken chickens that 
belonged to Grandpa Strong, started for a little 
stroll through the woods one afternoon just as 
the band of jays came along through the trees 
overhead. 
‘““Hey, look there,’ shouted Robin Hood: 
at least I think that was the meaning of his call, 
for a minute later they were down near the 
ground and all around the black and white 
wood-pussy. The skunk paid not the slightest 
attention to these noisy intruders and walked 
along as before quite undisturbed. Headed by 
their leader the jays crowded in closer, and 
Robin Hood almost struck it with his bill two 
or three times. Then all at once something 
happened. The terrible musk of the skunk 
was thrown all over Robin Hood, and blindly, 
wildly, he fled through the trees. 
~ I do not know just how keen a sense of smell 
birds possess, and whether Robin Hood was an 
outcast from his band for a number of days be- 
91 
