spoke politely enough, his manner was
quite cold. It was clear that he felt terribly insulted.

Jolly Robin saw that he had blundered. And wishing to change the
subject, he said hastily:

"Won't you sing another song?"

So the Hermit cleared his throat and began to sing again.

Although this song was not so sad as the first one, Jolly Robin did
not like it half so well. The chorus, especially, he considered quite
offensive. And it is not surprising, perhaps, that it displeased him,
for this is the way it went:

"Any old vest
May do for the rest;
But _I_ like a spotted one best!"

If it hadn't been for that song, Jolly Robin would not have remembered
that he had intended to speak to his cousin about his spotted
waistcoat. Jolly had been so interested in the nest on the ground that
the matter of the waistcoat had slipped out of his mind. But now he
suddenly recalled the reason why he had come to see the Hermit. And he
disliked his cousin's spotted finery more than ever.

Thereupon, he resolved that he would speak about it, too.

XV

LOST--A COUSIN!

When the Hermit Thrush had finished his song about the spotted vest,
he looked at his cousin Jolly Robin out of the corner of his eye.

"How do you like that one?" he inquired. He noticed that Jolly was not
laughing.

"That seems to me to be a very silly song," Jolly Robin said. "But I'm
glad you sang it, because it has reminded me that I was going to speak
to you about that spotted waistcoat you're so fond of wearing."

"What's the matter with my waistcoat?" the Hermit asked quickly. "I'm
sure it's a very handsome one."

"I don't like it!" Jolly told him. "I wouldn't be caught with it on me
for anything. Everybody says that you're a great dandy because you
wear it. And since you're my cousin, I think I ought to tell you what
people are saying about you."

"I don't care what people say!" the Hermit exclaimed. "Those that
don't like my beautiful waistcoat can look the other way when I'm
around. And if my style of dress doesn't please you, I'd suggest that
you keep out of this swamp."

"Now, don't get angry!" Jolly Robin begged. He gave his cousin a
smile, hoping that it might make him feel pleasanter. "I was only
trying to help you. I was only going to advise you to wear a red
waistcoat, like mine."

Now, the mere thought of wearing a red waistcoat made the Hermit feel
faint. Some people say that a