“Atter he got thu, den he santer ’long, he did, fur ter hunt up de Woodpecker; an’ by’mby he hyeard him peckin’ at er log; an’ he went up ter him kin’ er kyeerless, an’ he sez, ‘Good-mornin’,’ sezee; ’yer pow’ful busy ter day.’

“Den de Woodpecker he pass de kempulmence wid ’im, des same ez any udder gemmun; an’ atter dey talk er wile, den de Blue Jay he up’n sez, ‘I wuz jes er lookin’ fur yer,’ sezee; ’I gwine ter hab er party ter-morrer night, an’ I’d like fur yer ter come.  All de birds’ll be dar, Miss Robin in speshul,’ sezee.

“An’ wen de Woodpecker hyearn dat, he ’lowed he’d try fur ter git dar.  An’ den de Jay he tell him good-mornin’, an’ went on ter Miss Robin’s house.  Well, hit pyeart like Miss Robin wuz mo’ cole dan uzhul dat day, an’ by’mby de Jay Bird, fur ter warm her up, sez, ‘Yer lookin’ mighty hansum dis mornin’,’ sezee.  An’ sez she, ’I’m proud ter hyear yer say so; but, speakin’ uv hansum,’ sez she, ’hev yer seed Mr. Peckerwood lately?’

“Dat made de Blue Jay kint er mad; an’ sezee, ’Yer pyear ter tuck er mighty intrus’ in ‘im.’

“’Well, I dunno ‘bout’n dat,’ sez Miss Robin, sez she, kinter lookin’ shame.  ’I dunno ’boutn dat; but, den I tink he’s er mighty hansum bird,’ sez she.

“Well, wid dat de Jay Bird ‘gun ter git madder’n he wuz, an’ he ’lowed ter hisse’f dat he’d ax Miss Robin ter his house, so’s she could see how he’d fix de Peckerwood; so he sez,

“’Miss Robin, I gwine ter hab er party ter-morrer night; de Woodpecker’ll be dar, an’ I’d like fur yer ter come.’

“Miss Robin ‘lowed she’d come, an’ de Jay Bird tuck his leave.

“Well, de nex’ night de Jay sot in ‘is nes’ er waitin’ fur ’is cump’ny; an’ atter er wile hyear come de Woodpecker.  Soon’s eber he seed de sticks ercross de do’, he sez, ‘Wy, pyears like yer ben er fixin’ up,’ sezee.  ‘Ain’t yer ben er buildin’?’

“‘Well,’ sez de Jay Bird, ’I’ve jes put er few ’provemunce up, fur ter keep de scritch-owls outn my nes’; but dar’s plenty room fur my frien’s ter git thu; jes come in,’ sezee; an’ de Woodpecker he started thu de crack.  Soon’s eber he got his head thu, de Jay pullt de chip out, an’ de big stick fell right crossn his neck.  Den dar he wuz, wid his head in an’ his feet out! an’ de Jay Bird ‘gun ter laff, an’ ter make fun atn ’im.  Sezee, ‘I hope I see yer!  Yer look like sparkin’ Miss Robin now! hit’s er gre’t pity she can’t see yer stretched out like dat; an’ she’ll be hyear, too, d’rectly; she’s er comin’ ter de party,’ sezee, ‘an’ I’m gwine ter gib her er new dish; I’m gwine ter sot her down ter roas’ Woodpecker dis ebenin’.  An’ now, efn yer’ll ‘scuse me, I’ll lef’ yer hyear fur ter sorter ‘muse yerse’f wile I grin’s my ax fur ten’ ter yer.’