The Burgess Bird Book for Children 



"Where is she now?" asked Peter. 



"Over home," replied Creaker, pulling a white 

 grub out of the roots of the grass. "We've got 

 a nest over there in one of those pine-trees on the 

 edge of the Green Forest and I expect any day 

 now we will have four hungry babies to feed. I 

 shall have to get busy then. You know I am one 

 of those who believe that every father should do 

 his full share in taking care of his family." 



"I'm glad to hear you say it," declared Peter, 

 nodding his head with approval quite as if he was 

 himself the best of fathers, which he isn't at all. 

 "May I ask you a very personal question, 

 Creaker?" 



"Ask as many questions as you like. I don't 

 have to answer them unless I want to," retorted 

 Creaker. 



"Is it true that you steal the eggs of other 

 birds?" Peter blurted the question out rather 

 hurriedly. 



Creaker's yellow eyes began to twinkle. "That 

 is a very personal question," said he. "I won't 

 go so far as to say I steal eggs, but I've found that 

 eggs are very good for my constitution and if I 

 find a nest with nobody around I sometimes help 

 myself to the eggs. You see the owner might not 

 come back and then those eggs would spoil, and 

 that would be a pity." 



[142] 



