The Burgess Bird Book for Children 



back on his perch. Peter asked again what he 

 was doing down there. 



"Mrs. Phoebe and I are living down here," 

 replied Dear Me. " We've made our home down 

 here and we like it very much." 



Peter looked all around, this way, that way, 

 every way, with the funniest expression on his 

 face. He didn't see anything of 'Mrs. Phoebe 

 and he didn't see any place in which he could 

 imagine Mr. and Mrs. Phoebe building a nest. 

 "What are you looking for?" asked Dear Me. 



"For Mrs. Phoebe and your home," declared 

 Peter quite frankly. "I didn't suppose you and 

 Mrs. Phoebe ever built a nest on the ground, and 

 I don't see any other place around here for one." 



Dear Me chuckled. "I wouldn't tell any one 

 but you, Peter," said he, "but I've known you so 

 long that I'm going to let you into a little secret. 

 Mrs. Phoebe and our home are under the very 

 bridge you are sitting on." 



"I don't believe it !" cried Peter. 



But Dear Me knew from the way Peter said it 

 that he really didn't mean that. "Look and see 

 for yourself," said Dear Me. 



So Peter lay flat on his stomach and tried to 



stretch his head over the edge of the bridge so as 



to see under it. But his neck wasn't long enough, 



or else he was afraid to lean over as far as he might 



[40] 



