olks, it is a very different matter. You see, they are naturally so
active that they have to fill their stomachs very often in order to
supply their little bodies with heat and energy. So when their food
supply is wholly cut off, they starve or else freeze to death in a very
short time. A great many little lives are ended this way in every long,
hard winter storm.

It was late in the afternoon of the second day when rough Brother North
Wind decided that he had shown his strength and fierceness long enough,
and rumbling and grumbling retired from the Green Meadows and the Green
Forest, blowing the snow clouds away with him. For just a little while
before it was time for him to go to bed behind the Purple Hills, jolly,
round, red Mr. Sun smiled down on the white land, and never was his
smile more welcome. Out from their shelters hurried all the little
prisoners, for they must make the most of the short time before the
coming of the cold night.

Little Tommy Tit the Chickadee was so weak that he could hardly fly, and
he shook with chills. He made straight for the apple-tree where Farmer
Brown's boy always keeps a piece of suet tied to a branch for Tommy and
his friends. Drummer the Woodpecker was there before him. Now it is
one of the laws of politeness among the feathered folk that when one is
eating from a piece of suet a newcomer shall await his turn.

"Dee, dee, dee!" said Tommy Tit faintly but cheerfully, for he couldn't
be other than cheery if he tried. "Dee, dee, dee! That looks good to
me."

"It is good," mumbled Drummer, pecking away at the suet greedily. "Come
on, Tommy Tit. Don't wait for me, for I won't be through for a long
time. I'm nearly starved, and I guess you must be."

"I am," confessed Tommy, as he flew over beside Drummer. "Thank you ever
so much for not making me wait."

"Don't mention it," replied Drummer, with his mouth full. "This is no
time for politeness. Here comes Yank Yank the Nuthatch. I guess there is
room for him too."

Yank Yank was promptly invited to join them and did so after apologizing
for seeming so greedy.

"If I couldn't get my stomach full before night, I certainly should
freeze to death before morning," said he. "What a blessing it is to have
all this good food waiting for us. If I had to hunt for my usual food
on the trees, I certainly should have to give up and die. It took all
my strength to get over here. My, I feel like a new bird already! Here
comes Sammy Jay. I