t The Burgess Bird Book for Children 



"I suppose," said Peter, "that as usual you 

 were the first of your family to arrive." 



" Certainly. Of course," replied Dear Me. " We 

 always are the first. Mrs. Phoebe and I don't 

 go as far south in winter as the other members 

 of the family do. They go clear down into the 

 Tropics, but we manage to pick up a pretty good 

 living without going as far as that. So we get 

 back here before the rest of them, and usually 

 have begun housekeeping by the time they arrive. 

 My cousin, Chebec the Least Flycatcher, should 

 be here by this time. Haven't you heard any- 

 thing of him up in the Old Orchard?" 



"No," replied Peter, "but to tell the truth I 

 haven't looked for him. I'm on my way to the 

 Old Orchard now, and I certainly shall keep my 

 ears and eyes open for Chebec. I'll tell you if 

 I find him. Good-by." 



" Dear me ! Dear me ! Good-by, Peter. Dear 

 me ! " replied Mr. Phcebe as Peter started off 

 for the Old Orchard. 



Perhaps it was because Peter was thinking of 

 him that almost the first voice he heard when he 

 reached the Old Orchard was that of Chebec, 

 repeating his own name over and over as if he 

 loved the sound of it. It didn't take Peter long 

 to find him. He was sitting out on the tip of one 

 of the upper branches of an apple-tree where he 

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