asked Blacky , just as if he did n't have the least idea , although he had guessed the instant he discovered those extra feathers . `` It means we are going to have a long , hard , cold winter , and Old Mother Nature is preparing us for it , '' replied Danny , quite as if he knew all about it . `` You 'll find that everybody who does n't go south or sleep all winter has a thicker coat than usual . Hello ! There is old Roughleg the Hawk ! He has come extra early this year . I think I 'll go back to warn Nanny . '' Without another word Danny disappeared in the brown grass . Again Blacky chuckled . `` More signs , '' said he to himself . `` More signs . There is n't a doubt that we are going to have a hard winter . I wonder if I can stand it or if I 'd better go a little way south , where it will be warmer . '' CHAPTER XVII : Blacky Watches A Queer Performance This much to me is very clear : A thing not understood is queer . -- Blacky the Crow . Blacky the Crow may be right . Again he may not be . If he is right , it will account for a lot of the queer people in the world . They are not understood , and so they are queer . At least , that is what other people say , and never once think that perhaps they are the queer ones for not understanding .
But XXXXX is n't like those people who are satisfied not to understand and to think other people and things queer .
Blacky CHAPTER Danny Nanny Nature Roughleg XVII coat right signs