CHAPTER VII 



THE WATCHMAN OF THE OLD ORCHARD 



A FEW days after Chebec and his wife started 

 building their nest in the Old Orchard Peter 

 dropped around as usual for a very early call. 

 He found Chebec very busy hunting for materials 

 for that nest, because, as he explained to Peter, 

 Mrs. Chebec is very particular indeed about what 

 her nest is made of. But he had time to tell 

 Peter a bit of news. 



"My fighting cousin and my handsomest cousin 

 arrived together yesterday, and now our family is 

 very well represented in the Old Orchard," said 

 Chebec proudly. 



Slowly Peter reached over his back with his 

 long left hind foot and thoughtfully scratched his 

 long right ear. He didn't like to admit that he 

 couldn't recall those two cousins of Chebec's. 

 "Did you say your fighting cousin?" he asked 

 in a hesitating way. 



"That's what I said," replied Chebec. "He 

 is Scrapper the Kingbird, as of course you know. 

 The rest of us always feel safe when he is about." 

 [46] 



