Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-15
CHAPTER VI
Paste and pecks

ACN ana Janet ana the falfy hlng
- rode swiftly TO Birdland on .he back
of Purple Swallow. They were eager
TO warn the birds that the Mysterious
White Strangers were crows made white
with -four. The crows, unless driven
away promptly, might do great dam
age. wrecking nests, eating eggs and
killing smaller birds.
Now there will BE fighting" sighed
the Fairy King. II am sorry, for inno-
cent birds may get hurt"
isn't there some way we can drive
the crows away without harm coming
TO the birds?' asked Janet anxiously.
Jack put his wits TO work on the mat
ter. Soon he gave n glad cry.
II know way he shouted. eve
will play trick on those crows"
BY this time they were back in Bird
land. They found the party still going
on. The birds were dancing mcrrily
while tn" Mysterious Strangers, stead.
lily growing in numbers, were silently
watching.
Jack called aside King Bird and
Policeman Blue Jay.
THE Mysterious Whito Strangers
are crows dressed in four" he told
them.
1.-The rascals!' spluttered King Bird.
Owe will fight them
Il have = better plan" said Jack.
'Wc will spread n fine dinner for
them
"What." exclaimed the birds in as.
tonishmcnt. They deserve dinner
of burs.'
We will spread dinner along the
edge of the brook said Jack. while
they are eating the strong birds can
get benin! them and push them into
the stream. The water wil. turn their
-four coats into paste and tick them
up. Then the birds can give them the
punishment they deserve"
That sounded like a fine plan.
"Hurrah!' cried King Bird to the
The Mysterious White Strangers.
Everybody gather food
The birds were eager to show hos
pitality to the White Strangers. They
rushed about looking for food. And
while they rushed the Mysterious
White Strangers stood silent. winking
at each other. They thought they were
fooling the birds.
AS the birds gathered the food King
Bird and Blue Jay whispered to them
the secret plan. They were Ms keen
then to punish the White Strangers
as they had been to entertain them.
Soon fine feast of bugs and beetles
and grubs and worms was spread close
10 the edge of the brook. The crows
forgot their dread Of the water and
strode forward to cat.
"Wait until I say Go. screamed
King Bird. The Mysterious White
Strangers stood in row and awaited
the word. They didn't notice the birds
lining up behind them.
Go" shriekcd King Bird. The
Mysterious White Strangers bent for.
ward to eat. Wham! The birds behind
rushed into them and gave sudden
push. Over went the flour -con cd
crows into the water.
Then things happened Just as Jack
had planned. The water turned the
-four into sticky paste. The sticky
paste clung in bedraggling masses to
the feathers Of the crows. The crows
foundorcd out Of the water but they
were too sticky to fly.
Punish the thieves who stole our
eggs"
And the birds did go after them. They
prckcd the crows until the crows wor,
blue as we'll as black and white. Tht
crows were so stuck up they couldn',
fight back. They Huttered and they
sQuawkcd. And in the f'"oring the,
shook off enough paste So Icy finall,
were able to f'y. They didn't wait tC
say good by. They fed away with Kin.
Bird, Purple Swallow and Policeman
Blue Jay following.
Don't You ever try trick like tina
again" screamed King Bird at them
That warning wasn't needed The crow
had had enough OF tricks for long
long time.
iNcxt week Jack and Janet ri,
called upon to settle q strange feud be
tween the birds and the frogs.)