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BLACKY THE CROW

BY THORNTON W. BURGESS



CHAPTER I: Blacky The Crow Makes A Discovery

Blacky the Crow is always watching for things not intended for his
sharp eyes. The result is that he gets into no end of trouble which
he could avoid. In this respect he is just like his cousin, Sammy
Jay. Between them they see a great deal with which they have no
business and which it would be better for them not to see.

Now Blacky the Crow finds it no easy matter to pick up a living when
snow covers the Green Meadows and the Green Forest, and ice binds
the Big River and the Smiling Pool. he has to use his sharp eyes for
all they are worth in order to find enough to fill his stomach, and
he will eat anything in the way of food that he can swallow. Often
he travels long distances looking for food, but at night he always
comes back to the same place in the Green Forest, to sleep in
company with others of his family.

Blacky dearly loves company, particularly at night, and about the
time jolly, round, red Mr. Sun is beginning to think about his bed
behind the Purple Hills, you will find Blacky heading for a certain
part of the Green Forest where he knows he will have neighbors of
his own kind. Peter Rabbit says that it is because Blacky's
conscience troubles him so that he doesn't dare sleep alone, but
Happy Jack Squirrel says that Blacky hasn't any conscience. You can
believe just which you please, though I suspect that neither of them
really knows.

As I have said, Blacky is quite a traveler at this time of year, and
sometimes his search for food takes him to out-of-the-way
places. One day toward the very last of winter, the notion entered
his black head that he would have a look in a certain lonesome
corner of the Green Forest where once upon a time Redtail the Hawk
had lived. Blacky knew well enough that
Redtail wasn't there now; he had gone south in the fell and wouldn't
be back until he was sure that Mistress Spring had arrived on the
Green Meadows and in the Green Forest.

Like the black imp he is, Blacky flew over the tree-tops, his sharp
eyes watching for something interesting below. Presently he saw
ahead of him the old nest of Red-tail. He knew all about that
nest. He had visited it before when Red-tail was away. Still it
might be worth another visit. You never can tell what you may find
in old houses. Now, of course, Blacky knew perfectly well that
Redtail was miles and miles, hundreds of miles away, and so there