ung gentleman wasted no time. He stopped to touch
his cap to nobody, but flew away to his home in the wild grapevine,
on the stone wall, as fast as he could go.

Though he had kept quiet, the whole Wren family had made a great
uproar. Glad as they were to get rid of their troublesome guest,
they objected to having the whole front of their house torn out.

Indeed, Mrs. Rusty began to get ready to move out at once. And
everybody knows that moving is no joke--especially if one has six
children.

But Johnnie Green bent the tin into place again, so that it was
almost the same as new. In fact, the house was even better than
ever, because it was more airy.

And Rusty and his wife were so glad to see the last of Chippy, Jr.,
that afterward they never objected in the least when Johnnie Green
called them "my wrens." They had discovered that he was a good
friend to have.

XX

AN INVITATION

Rusty Wren's cousin, Long Bill, lived in the reeds on the bank of
Black Creek. Although everybody called him "Long Bill," like Rusty
Wren he was actually short and chubby. His bill, however, was much
longer than Rusty's. You see, he belonged to one branch of the
Marsh Wren family; and they all had bills like that.

Long Bill Wren always claimed that his real name was William; but
people generally smiled when he made that statement.

It was not often that Rusty met this cousin of his, for Rusty
seldom ventured so far from home as Black Creek. And being very
fond of water, Long Bill did not care to spend any of his valuable
time in Farmer Green's dooryard.

Of course, there was the duck pond not far away--and the river,
too. But the only water really close to Rusty's home was the
watering-trough. And that was entirely too small to please Long
Bill Wren. So no one ever saw him around the farm buildings.

For a long time Rusty had neither seen nor heard of his cousin,
when one day Jolly Robin knocked at his door.

"I won't come in," said Jolly (of course he couldn't have,
anyhow--being far too big to get through Rusty's door!). "I won't
come in, for I merely want to give you a message. Old Mr. Crow came
to the orchard to-day and he asked me to deliver an invitation
from your cousin who lives near Black Creek."

"That's Long Bill!" Rusty Wren exclaimed.

Jolly Robin nodded. "He's going to have a party," he explained.
"And he wants you to come to it."

"When will it take place?" Rusty asked eagerly.

"To-morrow!" said J