you do. By the way, Fidget, I stopped to look at your nest
this morning. I find we build a good deal alike and we like the same
sort of a place to put it. I suppose you know that I am a rather near
neighbor of yours?"

"Of course I know it," replied Fidget. "In fact I watched you start your
nest. Don't you think you have it rather near the ground?"

"Not too near, Fidget; not too near. I am not as high-minded as some
people. I like to be within two or three feet of the ground."

"I do myself," replied Fidget.

Fidget and Weechi became so interested in discussing nests and the
proper way of building them they quite forgot Peter Rabbit. Peter sat
around for a while listening, but being more interested in seeing those
nests than hearing about them, he finally stole away to look for them.

He looked and looked, but there were so many young hemlock-trees and
they looked so much alike that finally Peter lost patience and gave it
up as a bad job.

CHAPTER XXVII. A New Friend and an Old One.

Peter Rabbit never will forget the first time he caught a glimpse of
Glory the Cardinal, sometimes called Redbird. He had come up to the Old
Orchard for his usual morning visit and just as he hopped over the old
stone wall he heard a beautiful clear, loud whistle which drew his eyes
to the top of an apple-tree. Peter stopped short with a little gasp
of sheer astonishment and delight. Then he rubbed his eyes and looked
again. He couldn't quite believe that he saw what he thought he saw. He
hadn't supposed that any one, even among the feathered folks, could be
quite so beautiful.

The stranger was dressed all in red, excepting a little black around the
base of his bill. Even his bill was red. He wore a beautiful red crest
which made him still more distinguished looking, and how he could sing!
Peter had noticed that quite often the most beautifully dressed birds
have the poorest songs. But this stranger's song was as beautiful as his
coat, and that was one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful,
that Peter ever had seen. Of course he lost no time in hunting up Jenny
Wren. "Who is it, Jenny? Who is that beautiful stranger with such a
lovely song?" cried Peter, as soon as he caught sight of Jenny.

"It's Glory the Cardinal," replied Jenny Wren promptly. "Isn't he the
loveliest thing you've ever seen? I do hope he is going to stay here. As
I said before, I don't often envy any one's fine clothes, but when I see
Glory I'm