The next year, in fourth grade, Nick watches a TV show about red-winged blackbirds. He learns that the blackbird makes a high-pitched call whenever it senses danger. The high-pitched sounds travel through the air in such a way that hawks and other hunter birds cannot tell where they are coming from.
In class the next day, during silent reading, Nick remembers this TV show. He thinks his teacher, Mrs. Avery, looks a little like a hawk, so he lets out a couple of high-pitched “peeps!” to find out what will happen.
Mrs. Avery cannot tell where the sound is coming from. She blames Nick’s friend Janet for making the noise. Janet is surprised to be yelled at this way; she gets so upset she almost cries. Mrs. Avery sees that she has made a mistake, so she tells Janet she is sorry.
At lunch, Nick apologizes to Janet for getting her in trouble. He explains about the blackbirds, and Janet finds the idea interesting. She tries making a couple of high-pitched peeping sounds, and she promises Nick not to tell anyone what she knows.
For the rest of the year, Nick and Janet occasionally make peeping sounds in the middle of class. Miss Avery never knows who is making the noise, and eventually she gives up trying to find out. Nick and Janet agree that the whole thing is pretty fun.