The Burgess Bird Book for Children 



he had escaped from Terror that morning, Peter 

 sat as still as if he could not move. 



It was the hunting call of Hooty the Great 

 Horned Owl, and it had been intended to frighten 

 some one into jumping and running, or at least 

 into moving ever so little. Peter knew all about 

 that trick of Hooty's. He knew that in all the 

 Green Forest there are no ears so wonderful as 

 those of Hooty the Owl, and that the instant he had 

 uttered that fierce hunting call he had strained 

 those wonderful ears to catch the faintest sound 

 which some startled little sleeper of the night might 

 make. The rustle of a leaf would be enough to 

 bring Hooty to the spot on his great silent wings, 

 and then his fierce yellow eyes, which are made 

 for seeing in the dusk, would find the victim. 



So Peter sat still, fearful that the very thumping 

 of his heart might reach those wonderful ears. 

 Again that terrible hunting cry rang out, and again 

 Peter had all he could do to keep from jumping. 

 But he didn't jump, and a few minutes later, as he 

 sat staring at a certain tall, dead stub of a tree, 

 wondering just where Hooty was, the top of that 

 stub seemed to break off, and a great, broad-winged 

 bird flew away soundlessly like a drifting shadow. 

 It was Hooty himself. Sitting perfectly straight 

 on the top of that tall, dead stub he had seemed 

 a part of it. Peter waited some time before he 

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