Evening star., 1932-03-05
DELI lVlL OlOlllLO ". Burgess.

has arrived" thought Chatterer. Il hope
he has. I'll run over there and see"
So, without waiting for breakfast, he
hurried in that direction and he went
by way of the tree tops. Taper would
beat out his long roll, then wait a bit
as If listening to see what the effect
might be- Each time Chatterer was
sure that the drum was the dead limb
Taper had used the season before. At
last he reached a point where he could
peer around the trunk of tree. with
little chance that he himself would be
seen. One good look was enough. 1t
was Taper. There could be no doubt
about it. He was about the size of his
cousin, Hairy the Woodpecker, but in
stead of wearing merely a red patch
on the back of his head his whole fore
head clear to the top of his head was
red, and so was his throat. His upper
breast was black and the rest brown1sh-
yellow. AS for the remainder OF his
coat, it was black and white, with a
big white bar on each wing.
One glimpse of that red throat was
all Chatterer needed There was no
ily with a throat like that. There was
no chance of a mistake Chatterer
carefully withdrew and went to get his
breakfast. He was not anxious for
Taper to know that ne was anywhere
about.
Having drummed to his satisfaction,
Taper few straight to the very maple
tree where Chatterer had discovered
that the sap was running. He wasted
no time, but went to work at once He
wanted sap and he wanted plenty OF
it. He knew just how to get it. Back
and forth, back and forth, few that
pretty head of his, and each time his
sharp, stout bill tore out tiny bit lf
bark or wood. The inner bark he ate,
for 1t Is a favorite food of his.
Presently there was small hole
where he was at work. Satisfied that
it was big enough and deep enough.
he moved over a couple Of inches and
started another one. When this suited
him he made a third and fourth and
a fifth. Now and then he stopped to
rest his head and neck, for you know
this was real work. But he didn't stop
for long. He wanted those holes done
as soon as possible.
There" said he at last, those ought
to give a taste anyway by the time l
return. I'll make some more later. The
sap is running was fearful that I
might be a bit early, but I am not.
Now I'll look around and see how
things are here in the Green Forest
and what has happened while / was
away. I'll have look at our old home
and see if any one has occupied it this
Winter. Mrs. Taper probably will want
a new one anyway, but the old one will
do to sleep in nights. BY the time ]
get back these holes should be filled
with sap. I haven't seen anything OF
that nuisance Chatterer the Red Squir-
rel. It would be just like him to try
to steal my sap If he knew that had
tapped this tree. Some people do like
to live on the work Of other people
There is already some sap in the first
holes. I'll take that and by the time
return all the holes should be filled"
So Taper drank the sap that had
collected and then few away. It was
good to be in the Green Forest and he
was in a hurry to visit familiar places
from which he had been so long away
He had wasted no time IN getting to
work and he felt sure Of his reward
on his return.
(Copyrisht, 1e32)