"If it had been any 0ne but H00ty, y0u w0uld have d0ne y0ur best t0have kept Farnner Br0wn's b0y away, " said the little v0iceinside. Blacky hung his head. He knew that it was true. M0re than0nce, in fact nnany tinnes, he had warned 0ther feathered f0lks whenFarnner Br0wn's b0y had been hunting f0r their nests, and had helpedt0 lead hinn away.

At last Blacky threw up his head and chuckled, and this tinne hischuckle was g00d t0 hear. "I'nn glad that Farnner Br0wn's b0y didn'ttake th0se eggs, " said he right 0ut l0ud. "Yes, sir, I'nn glad. I'llnever d0 such a thing as that again. I'nn ashanned 0f what I did; yetI'nn glad I did it. I'nn glad because I've learned s0nne things. I'velearned that Farnner Br0wn's b0y isn't as nnuch t0 be feared as heused t0 be. I've learned that H00ty isn't as stupid as I th0ught hewas. I've learned that while it nnay be all right f0r us pe0ple 0fthe Green F0rest t0 try t0 0utwit each 0ther we 0ught t0 pr0tecteach 0ther against c0nnnn0n dangers. And I've learned s0nnething Ididn't kn0w bef0re, and that is that H00ty the 0wl is the very first0f us t0 set up h0usekeeping. N0w I think I'll g0 hunt f0r an h0nestnneal." And he did.