“ Reddy Woodpecker had not arrived. So, while they were waiting Jolly Robin's friends helped themselves to berries. Under the hot sun the fruit had ripened fast. Finding it both sweet and juicy they ate of it freely. And Jolly Robin could think of no reason why he should not do likewise.
By the time Reddy Woodpecker came, all the Robins from over the meadow were feeling so well fed and good-natured that they were in anything but a fighting mood.
"Let that Woodpecker enjoy this fruit if he likes it," they said to Jolly in an undertone. "There's more than enough for everybody. ”

“ He pulled his bill out at once, giving Reddy Woodpecker a glimpse of an ant before he swallowed it.
Reddy Woodpecker stared at him in amazement. "Where's your home?" he asked Mr. Flicker. "Is your home on the ground?"
"Bless you, no!" cried Mr. Flicker. "I'm no ground bird. My wife and I have a fine hole in an old apple tree in the orchard."
Reddy Woodpecker had to approve of that, anyhow. So he nodded his red-capped head.
"You're sensible in one way, at least," he remarked. "That's the way to live, if only you build high enough, out of harm's way." ”

“ Soon after Reddy Woodpecker settled in Farmer Green's orchard he noticed that a certain person often followed him. The stranger wore gray fur and always flourished a long, bushy tail behind him. He could climb trees as well as Reddy Woodpecker himself. And though he couldn't fly, he was very skillful at leaping from one tree top into another.
Whenever Reddy Woodpecker happened to turn around and spy this lurking stranger the fellow acted as if he hadn't seen Reddy Woodpecker. He would pretend to whisk a bit of bark off the tip of his tail, or arrange his mustache. ”

“ Robin proved to be right. That very day she herself beheld Reddy Woodpecker eating more raspberries. He had stolen every ripe berry. Though Mrs. Robin had hoped to find four (one for each of her nestlings) she didn't pick even one. They were all too hard and sour.
"It's a pity," she said to Jolly. "Everybody knows now-a-days that children need fruit. The day is past when you can bring them up on nothing but angleworms. You'll have to go back there to the raspberry patch and fight Reddy. You can't escape a fight any longer."
Well, what could he do? What could Jolly Robin do but obey his wife? ”

“ Robin was anxious about her eggs her worry was nothing compared with what it became when the nestlings broke through their shells.
"This is the finest family in the whole valley," she confided to her husband. "I know that terrible Woodpecker person will steal these children if he can."
If the youngsters didn't peep for food their mother feared they were ill. If they did peep she feared Reddy Woodpecker would hear them. "He's such a dangerous person!" she would exclaim. "I wonder if he ever eats anything except eggs and nestlings." ”

“ Reddy Woodpecker lost no time in making friends with his cousin Mr. Flicker. Reddy knew well enough that most of the birds in the neighborhood wished he hadn't come there to live. So he thought it wise to be pleasant and polite to Mr. Flicker. There was no knowing when he might need one friend among so many enemies. He even let Mr. Flicker drum upon the strip of tin upon the roof of the barn. But secretly Reddy thought him a queer chap.
"There's one thing that's very odd about you," Reddy said to Mr. Flicker one day. "If you're a Woodpecker, why don't you peck wood? ”

“ Cuffy Bear squealed. He went lumbering through the woods, trying to keep Reddy Woodpecker in sight. In a few moments he gave a frantic roar. "Come back!" he thundered.
Reddy Woodpecker returned.
"Don't fly so fast," Cuffy ordered. "I can't keep up with you. Fly slowly!"
"I can't fly slowly," Reddy retorted. "I don't know how."
"Then go a little way and sit down on a tree and wait for me," Cuffy directed. "But don't go out of my sight!"
Reddy Woodpecker did exactly as he was told. And in that manner they soon came to an old stump which was half crumbled away. "Ah!" cried Cuffy Bear. ”

“ And as you must know, there's no music that sounds better than drumming, with a little shrill whistling to go with it—unless it's a little whistling, with a plenty of loud drumming."
Mr. Flicker's favorite word "Why" sprang to his bill again. "Why," he inquired, "do you not drum for the Woodchuck brothers yourself?"
Reddy Woodpecker shook his head.
"I want to practice more, before I join a troupe," he said.
"There!" Mr. Flicker exclaimed. "I like to hear people talk that way. That shows that you don't think you're the best drummer in Pleasant Valley." ”

“ Jasper Jay jeered loudly at Frisky.
"That's what you get for being a pig," he told him. And turning to Reddy Woodpecker, Jasper added, "You see the pigs aren't all in the pigsty!"
Frisky Squirrel pretended that he didn't hear any of Jasper Jay's remarks. He set to work again to gather beechnuts enough to last him all winter and never once stopped to dash at Reddy Woodpecker nor even look at him.
That was only the first of many busy days for Reddy. Having made up his mind to spend the winter at Farmer Green's place he hid nuts everywhere. ”

“ She was surprised that he didn't take kindly to her suggestion.
"I don't want to wear a mustache," he objected.
"But you must!" she insisted.
"Why don't you wear one?" he inquired. "It would do just as well."
"Don't be silly!" she snapped. "Ladies never wear mustaches."
"Yes, they do," he replied.
"No, they don't!" she disputed.
Well, he saw at once that it was useless to argue with her.
"Come with me a moment, my dear!" Reddy begged her.
She thought he was going somewhere to get a mustache. So of course she hurried after him.
Reddy Woodpecker stopped beside Farmer Green's barn. ”

“ Jolly Robin's worrying wife wouldn't give him a moment's peace.
"You'd better get along over to the raspberry patch," she kept telling him. "If you don't hurry that terrible Reddy Woodpecker will eat every berry. He'll snatch each one as it ripens and we shall not have any to feed our children." ”

“ The neighbors are always pestering me to help them."
Then Reddy Woodpecker noticed that Whiteface was covered with sawdust. But before he could examine him very closely the carpenter vanished.
"I must have another look at that queer person," Reddy thought. So he began to rap once more.
Again the carpenter peeped forth.
"If you're out of work," he said, "I'll tell you plainly that you can't find it here. I never employ strangers to work for me, for I'm very particular." Then he was gone.
Tap, tap, tap! This time, when the carpenter answered Reddy's knocking, he was most impatient. ”

“ Flicker always acted in the most pleasant manner possible. And when he finished his drumming he never failed to ask Reddy Woodpecker how he liked it.
It was a hard question for Reddy to answer, because he didn't care in the least for Mr. Flicker's tattoos. He thought his own were far better. Sometimes Reddy pretended not to hear his cousin's question, but started drumming at once. Sometimes he said, "I believe that's an improvement over yesterday's tattoo." And at last he exclaimed one morning, "You ought to join the Woodchuck brothers!" ”

“ For Jolly Robin turned up his nose—or his bill—slightly, and he said to his wife, "The question is: What are his manners like?"
Mrs. Robin admitted that the stranger's manners were not all that one might wish.
"He was somewhat noisy," she explained. "And I fear he may be quarrelsome. But his clothes certainly were beautiful."
Jasper Jay, who was something of a dandy, wanted to know exactly what the stranger wore. He said he doubted that the newcomer was as fashionable as Mrs. Robin supposed. ”

“ Jolly assured her again and again. "He eats grubs, which he finds on the trees. And he eats insects, which he catches in the air."
"Thank goodness!" Mrs. Robin murmured. But her relief was short-lived. For she happened to meet little Mrs. Chippy one day and learned another bit of distressing news about Reddy Woodpecker. "He's a fruit eater!" Mrs. Robin told Jolly. "And you know we've been depending on the raspberries for our children."
A few days later she came home in a dreadful state of mind.
"I went to take a look at the raspberry patch," she explained to her good husband. ”

“ It mattered not to him that Farmer Green's family was sound asleep. He didn't care whether he disturbed anybody. He liked to hear his own drumming; and he intended to drum.
"This is the finest drumming place I've ever had!" Reddy Woodpecker cried aloud. "I don't care if the neighbors are disagreeable to me. I'm glad I came here to spend the summer."
So he made good use of that bit of tin with which Farmer Green had mended the roof of the barn. Each morning (if it wasn't raining) he flew to the barn to beat his tattoo. And he began to speak of "My tin," and "My roof"—and even of "My barn!" ”

“ And he went on to explain how they could help each other. "You can scout around for old stumps and fallen trees. And when you find one with plenty of grubs, come right back here at once and lead me to it. I'll tear it open so we can get more grubs in a minute than you can reach in a day by drilling for them one at a time with your bill. I'll show you how to gather grubs in quantities. You'll always want to hunt with me, after you see the way I find 'em."
Reddy Woodpecker nodded his head to show that he understood. Then he started to fly away. But Cuffy Bear called him back. ”

“ Crow begged him.
"It's too late," Reddy told the old gentleman. "Your friend is a member of The Redcaps no longer."
XVII
A HUNTING PARTY
Cuffy Bear was one of those lucky people that eat almost everything. He liked blueberries and he liked honey; he liked maple sugar and he liked baked beans. When he was eating he never complained about his food if only there was enough. Whatever he had, he wanted a plenty of it.
He was wandering through the woods one day when he heard a tap, tap, tapping a little way off. He stopped and listened and sniffed. And then he said, "Woof! It isn't a man. ”

“ I asked you to come here because you look like a customer. It's good business to have customers seen about my shop. I haven't had a real customer this season," he added somewhat sadly. "So you can't blame me if I want people to think I have one at last—now can you?" ”

“ Reddy urged.
"I will!" his wife promised. "Don't worry! I'll ask her.... And now," she added, "you'd better go and find some breakfast for the children. We can get along without any early tattoo this morning."
He went.
VIII
AN EARLY CALL
Mrs. Woodpecker flew to her neighbor Mrs. Flicker's tree and rapped, tap-tap-tap-tap. She didn't rap gently, either. She was not in a gentle mood. She intended to find out why Mrs. Flicker had called to Reddy Woodpecker, "Good morning, my dear!"
Mrs. Flicker promptly stuck her head out of her door.
"My husband is not at home," she said. ”