So Solomon Owl at last had a good day’s rest. And when he met Reddy
Woodpecker just after sunset, Solomon was feeling so cheerful that he said
“Good-evening!” quite pleasantly, before he remembered that it was Reddy
who had teased him so often.

“Good-evening!” Reddy Woodpecker replied. He seemed much surprised that
Solomon Owl should be so agreeable. “Can you hear me?” Reddy asked him.

“Perfectly!” said Solomon.

“That’s strange!” Reddy Woodpecker exclaimed. “I was almost sure you had
suddenly grown deaf.” And he could not understand why Solomon Owl laughed
loud and long.

“_Wha-wha! Whoo-ah!_” Solomon’s deep-voiced laughter rolled and echoed
through the woodland.

But Reddy Woodpecker did not laugh at all.





XXII
IT WAS SOLOMON’S FAULT


Reddy Woodpecker had a very good reason for not laughing when he met
Solomon Owl. Of course, he knew nothing whatever of Solomon’s new hiding
place in the haystack. And that very morning Reddy had invited a party of