Drummers and Carpenters 



"Certainly he is," replied Jenny Wren. "Of 

 course he is. Why under the sun should you 

 think he isn't?" 



"Because it seems to me he is on the ground 

 more than he's in the trees," retorted Peter. "I 

 don't know any other Woodpeckers who come 

 down on the ground at all." 



"Tut, tut, tut, tut!" scolded Jenny. "Think 

 a minute, Peter ! Think a minute ! Haven't you 

 ever seen Redhead on the ground?" 



Peter blinked his eyes. "Ye-e-s," he said 

 slowly. "Come to think of it, I have. I've seen 

 him picking up beechnuts in the fall. The Wood- 

 peckers are a funny family. I don't understand 

 them." 



Just then a long, rolling rat-a-tat-tat rang out 

 just over their heads. "There's another one of 

 them," chuckled Jenny. "That's Downy, the 

 smallest of the whole family. He certainly makes 

 an awful racket for such a little fellow. He is a 

 splendid drummer and he's just as good a car- 

 penter. He made the very house I am occupying 

 now." 



Peter was sitting with his head tipped back 

 trying to see Downy. At first he couldn't make 

 him out. Then he caught a little movement on 

 top of a dead limb. It was Downy 's head flying 

 back and forth as he beat his long roll. He was 

 .[77] 



