When Farmer Brown’s boy first caught sight of the nest and saw the Crows darting down toward it and acting so excited, he was puzzled.

“That’s an old nest of Red-tail the Hawk, " thought he.  “I found that last spring.  Now what can there be there to excite those Crows so?”

Then he caught sight of Hooty the Owl.  “Ha, so that’s it!” he exclaimed.  “Those scamps have discovered Hooty and have been having no end of fun tormenting him.  I wonder what he’s doing there.”

He no longer tried to keep out of sight, but walked right up to the foot of the tree, all the time looking up.  Hooty saw him, but instead of flying away, he snapped his bill just as he had at the Crows and hissed.

“That’s funny, " thought Farmer Brown’s boy.  “If I didn’t know that to be the old nest of Redtail the Hawk, and if it weren’t still the tail-end of winter, I would think that was Hooty’s nest.”

He walked in a circle around the tree, looking up.  Suddenly he gave a little start.  Was that a tail sticking over the edge of the nest?  He found a stick and threw it up.  It struck the bottom of the nest, and out flew a great bird.  It was Mrs. Hooty!  Blacky the Crow chuckled.

CHAPTER XI:  Farmer Brown’s Boy Is Tempted

   When you’re tempted to do wrong
   Is the time to prove you’re strong. 
   Shut your eyes and clench each fist;
   It will help you to resist.

When a bird is found sitting on a nest, it is a pretty sure sign that that nest holds something worth while.  It is a sign that that bird has set up housekeeping.  So when Farmer Brown’s boy discovered Mrs. Hooty sitting so close on the old nest of Redtail the Hawk, in the most lonesome corner of the Green Forest, he knew what it meant.  Perhaps I should say that he knew what it ought to mean.

It ought to mean that there were eggs in that nest.

But it was hard for Farmer Brown’s boy to believe that.  Why, spring had not come yet!  There was still snow, and the Smiling Pool was still covered with ice.  Who ever heard of birds nesting at this time of year?  Certainly not Farmer Brown’s boy.  And yet Hooty the Owl and Mrs. Hooty were acting for all the world as feathered folks do act when they have eggs and are afraid that something is going to happen to them.  It was very puzzling.

“That nest was built by Red-tail the Hawk, and it hasn’t even been repaired, " muttered Farmer Brown’s boy, as he stared up at it.  “If Hooty and his wife have taken it for their home, they are mighty poor housekeepers.  And if Mrs. Hooty has laid eggs this time of year, she must be crazy.  I suppose the way to find out is to climb up there.  It seems foolish, but I’m going to do it.  Those Owls certainly act as if they are mighty anxious about something, and I’m going to find out what it is.”