CHAPTER XVI 



A ROBBER IN THE OLD ORCHARD 



"I DON'T believe it," muttered Johnny Chuck 

 out loud. "I don't believe Jenny Wren knows 

 what she's talking about." 



"What is it Jenny Wren has said that you don't 

 believe?" demanded Skimmer the Tree Swallow, 

 as he once more settled himself in his doorway. 



"She said that Hummer the Hummingbird is a 

 sort of second cousin to Sooty the Chimney Swift," 

 replied Johnny Chuck. 



"Well, it's so, if you don't believe it," declared 

 Skimmer. "I don't see that that is any harder 

 to believe than that you are cousin to Striped 

 Chipmunk and Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel. 

 To look at you no one would ever think you are a 

 member of the Squirrel family, but you must ad- 

 mit that you are." 



Johnny Chuck nodded his head thoughtfully. 

 "Yes," said he, "I am, even if I don't look it. 

 This is a funny world, isn't it ? You can't always 

 tell by a person's looks who he may be related to. 

 Now that I've found out that Sooty isn't related 

 to you and is related to Hummer, I'll never dare 

 [113] 



