The Burgess Bird Book for Children 



say Phoebe plainer than does the bird who is named 

 Phoebe, and it is ever so much softer and sweeter. 

 I guess that is because you whistle it." 



"I guess you guess right," replied Tommy Tit. 

 "Now I can't stop to talk any longer. These 

 trees need my attention. I want Farmer Brown's 

 boy to feel that I have earned that suet I am sure 

 he will put out for me as soon as the snow and ice 

 come. I'm not the least bit afraid of Farmer 

 Brown's boy. I had just as soon take food from 

 his hand as from anywhere else. He knows I like 

 chopped-up nut-meats, and last winter I used to 

 feed from his hand every day." 



Peter's eyes opened very wide with surprise. 

 "Do you mean to say," said he, "that you and 

 Farmer Brown's boy are such friends that you dare 

 sit on his hand?" 



Tommy Tit nodded his little black-capped head 

 vigorously. "Certainly," said he. "Why not? 

 What's the good of having friends if you can't trust 

 them ? The more you trust them the better friends 

 they'll be." 



?' "Just the same, I don't see how you dare do it," 

 Peter replied. " I know Farmer Brown's boy is the 

 friend of all the little people, and I'm not much 

 afraid of him myself, but just the same I wouldn't 

 dare go near enough for him to touch me." 



"Pooh!" retorted Tommy Tit. "That's no 



