the adventures of reddy fox(兰迪福克斯奇遇)-第7章
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〃Bowser the Hound will have to be smarter than he is now befo' he can
worry me； Ah reckon；〃 said Unc' Billy Possum scornfully。 〃It isn't Bowser
the Hound； it's Farmer Brown's boy and his gun！〃 Then Unc' Billy told
Jimmy Skunk how he had been hiding in the woodpile at Farmer Brown's
and had heard Farmer Brown's boy say that he was going to hunt over the
Green Meadows and through the Green Forest until he got Reddy Fox。
〃What of it？〃 asked Jimmy Skunk。 〃If he gets Reddy Fox； so much the
better。 Reddy always did make trouble for other people。 I don't see what
you're worrying about Reddy Fox for。 He's big enough to take care of
himself。〃
〃Yo' cert'nly are plumb slow in your wits this morning； Jimmy Skunk；
yo' cert'nly are plumb slow！ Supposing yo' should meet up with Farmer
Brown's boy with that gun in his hands and supposing he had grown tired
of watching fo' Reddy Fox。 That gun might go off； Jimmy Skunk； it might
go off when it was pointing right straight at yo'！〃 said Unc' Billy Possum。
Jimmy Skunk looked serious。 〃That's so； Unc' Billy； that's so！〃 he said。
〃Boys with guns do get dreadfully careless； dreadfully careless。 They don't
seem to think anything about the feelings of those likely to get hurt when
the gun goes off。 What was you thinking of doing； Unc' Billy？〃
〃Just passing the word along so everybody in the Green Meadows and
in the Green Forest will keep out of the way of Farmer Brown's boy；〃
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replied Unc' Billy Possum。
〃Good idea； Unc' Billy！ I'll help you；〃 said Jimmy Skunk。
So Unc' Billy Possum went one way； and Jimmy Skunk went another
way。 And everyone they told hurried to tell someone else。 Happy Jack
Squirrel told Chatterer the Red Squirrel； Chatterer told Striped Chipmunk；
and Striped Chipmunk told Danny Meadow Mouse。 Danny Meadow
Mouse told Johnny Chuck； Johnny Chuck told Peter Rabbit； Peter Rabbit
told Jumper the Hare； Jumper the Hare told Prickly Porky； Prickly Porky
told Bobby Coon； Bobby Coon told Billy Mink； Billy Mink told Little Joe
Otter； Little Joe Otter told Jerry Muskrat； and Jerry Muskrat told
Grandfather Frog。 And everybody hastened to hide from Farmer Brown's
boy and his terrible gun。
By and by Farmer Brown's boy noticed how still it was in the Green
Forest。 Nowhere did he see or hear a bird。 Nowhere could he catch a
glimpse of anybody who wore fur。 〃That fox must have scared away all
the other animals and driven away all the birds。 I'll get him！ See if I don't！〃
muttered Farmer Brown's boy； and never once guessed that they were
hiding from him。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
XX。 Old Granny Fox Makes a
Mistake
Old Granny Fox was running through the overgrown old pasture； way
up back of Farmer Brown's。 She was cross and tired and hot； for it was a
very warm day。 Behind her came Bowser the Hound； his nose in Granny s
tracks； and making a great noise with his big voice。 Granny Fox was cross
because she was tired。 She hadn't done much running lately。 She didn't
mind running when the weather was cold； but now〃Oh dear； it is hot！〃
sighed old Granny Fox； as she stopped a minute to rest。
Now old Granny Fox is very； very smart and very； very wise。 She
knows all the tricks with which foxes fool those who try to catch them。
She knew that she could fool Bowser the Hound and puzzle him so that he
wouldn't be able to follow her track at all。 But she wasn't ready to do that
yet。 No； indeed！ Old Granny Fox was taking great care to see that her
tracks were easy to follow。 She wanted Bowser the Hound to follow them；
although it made her tired and hot and cross。 Why did she？ Well； you see；
she was trying to lead him； and with him Farmer Brown's boy； far； far
away from the home where Reddy Fox was nursing the wounds that he
had received when Farmer Brown's boy had shot at him a few days before。
〃Bow； wow； wow！〃 roared Bowser the Hound； following every twist
and turn which Granny Fox made； just as she wanted him to。 Back and
forth across the old pasture and way up among the rocks on the edge of the
mountain Granny Fox led Bowser the Hound。 It was a long； long； long
way from the Green Meadows and the Green Forest。 Granny Fox had
made it a long way purposely。 She was willing to be tired herself if she
could also tire Bowser the Hound and Farmer Brown's boy。 She wanted to
tire them so that when she finally puzzled and fooled them and left them
there； they would be too tired to go back to the Green Meadows。
By and by Granny Fox came to a hole in the ground； an old house that
had once belonged to her grandfather。 Now this old house had a back door
hidden close beside the hollow trunk of a fallen tree。 Old Granny Fox just
ran through the house； out the back door； through the hollow tree； and then
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jumped into a little brook where there was hardly more than enough water
to wet her feet。 Walking in the water； she left no scent in her tracks。
Bowser the Hound came roaring up to the front door of the old house。
Granny's tracks led right inside； and Bowser grew so excited that he made
a tremendous noise。 At last he had found where Granny Fox lived； at least
he thought he had。 He was sure that she was inside； for there were her
fresh tracks going inside and none coming out。 Bowser the Hound never
once thought of looking for a back door。 If he had； he wouldn't have been
any the wiser； because； you know； old Granny Fox had slipped away
through the hollow tree trunk。
Granny Fox grinned as she listened to the terrible fuss Bowser was
making。 Then； when she had rested a little； she stole up on the hill where
she could look down and see the entrance to the old deserted house。 She
watched Bowser digging and barking。After a while a worried look crept
into the face of old Granny Fox。
〃Where's Farmer Brown's boy？ I thought surely he would follow
Bowser the Hound；〃 she muttered。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
XXI。 Reddy Fox Disobeys
When old Granny Fox had sent Reddy Fox into the house and told him
to stay there until she returned home； he had not wanted to mind； but he
knew that Granny Fox meant just what she said； and so he had crawled
slowly down the long hall to the bedroom； way underground。
Pretty soon Reddy Fox heard a voice。 It was very faint； for you know
Reddy was in his bedroom way underground； but he knew it。 He pricked
up his ears and listened。 It was the voice of Bowser the Hound； and Reddy
knew by the sound that Bowser was chasing Granny Fox。
Reddy grinned。 He wasn't at all worried about Granny Fox； not the
least little bit。 He knew how smart she was and that whenever she wanted
to； she could get rid of Bowser the Hound。 Then a sudden thought popped
into Reddy's head； and he grew sober。
〃Granny did feel trouble coming； just as she said；〃 he thought。
Then Reddy Fox curled himself up and tried to sleep。 He intended to
mind and not put his little black nose outside until old Granny Fox
returned。 But somehow Reddy couldn't get to sleep。 His bedroom was
small； and he was so stiff and sore that he could not get comfortable。 He
twisted and turned and fidgeted。 The more he fidgeted； the more
uncomfortable he grew。 He thought of the warm sunshine outside and how
comfortable he would be； stretched out full length on the doorstep。 It
would take the soreness out of his legs。 Something must have happened to
Granny to keep her so long。 If she had known that she was going to be
gone such a long time； she wouldn't have told him to stay until she came
back； thought Reddy。
By and by Reddy Fox crept a little way up the long； dark hall。 He
could just see the sunlight on the doorstep。 Pretty soon he went a little bit
nearer。 He wasn't going to disobey old Granny Fox。 Oh； no！ No； indeed！
She had told him to stay in the house until she returned。 She hadn't said
that he couldn't look out！ Reddy crawled a little nearer to the open door
and the sunlight。
〃Granny Fox is getting old and timid。 Just as if my eyes aren't as sharp
as hers！ I'd like to see Farmer Brown's boy get near me when I am really
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on the watch；〃 said Reddy Fox to himself。 And then he crept a little nearer
to the open door。
How bright and warm and pleasant it did look outside！ Reddy just
knew that he would feel ever and ever so much better if he could stretch
out on the doorstep。 He could hear Jenny Wren fussing and scolding at
someone or something； and he wondered what it could be。 He crept just a
wee bit nearer。 He could hear Bowser's voice； but it was so faint that he
had to prick up his sharp little ears and listen with all his might to hear it at
all。
〃Granny's led them way off on the mountain。 Good old Granny！〃
thought Reddy Fox。 Then he crawled right up to the very doorway。 He
could still hear Jenny Wren scolding and fussing。
〃What does ail her？
〃If it's hot or if it's cold； Jenny Wren will always scold。 From
morn till night the whole day long Her limber tongue is going strong。
〃I'm going to find out what it means；〃 said Reddy； talking to himself。
Reddy Fox poked his head out andlooked straight into the freckled
face of Farmer Brown's boy and the muzzle of that dreadful gun！
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
XXII。 Ol' Mistah Buzzard's Keen
