CHAPTER XVII 



MORE ROBBERS 



BY the sounds of rejoicing "among the feathered 

 folks of the Old Orchard Johnny Chuck knew that 

 it was quite safe for him to come out. He was 

 eager to tell Skimmer the Tree Swallow how glad 

 he was that Mr. Blacksnake had been driven 

 away before he could get Skimmer's eggs. As 

 he poked his head out of his doorway he became 

 aware that something was still wrong in the Old 

 Orchard. Into the glad chorus there broke a 

 note of distress and sorrow. Johnny instantly 

 recognized the voices of Welcome Robin and 

 Mrs. Robin. There is not one among his feathered 

 neighbors who can so express worry and sorrow 

 as can the Robins. 



Johnny was just in time to see all the birds 

 hurrying over to that part of the Old Orchard 

 where the Robins had built their home. The 

 rejoicing suddenly gave way to cries of indigna- 

 tion and anger, and Johnny caught the words, 

 "Robber! Thief! Wretch!" It appeared that 

 there was just as much excitement over there as 

 there had been when Mr. Blacksnake had been 

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