the adventures of reddy fox(兰迪福克斯奇遇)-第8节
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shot； for he was still too stiff and sore to run； all because he had gone too
near Farmer Brown's boy and his gun。
But old Granny Fox had not been fooling when she told Reddy Fox
that Farmer Brown's boy was coming with a gun。 It was true。 He was
coming down the Lone Little Path； and ahead of him was trotting Bowser
the Hound。 How did old Granny Fox know it？ She just felt it！ She didn't
hear them； she didn't see them； and she didn't smell them； she just felt that
they were coming。 So as soon as she saw that Reddy Fox had obeyed her；
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she was off like a little red flash。
〃It won't do to let them find our home；〃 said Granny to herself； as she
disappeared in the Green Forest。
First she hurried to a little point on the hill where she could look down
the Lone Little Path。 Just as she expected； she saw Farmer Brown's boy；
and ahead of him； sniffing at every bush and all along the Lone Little Path；
was Bowser the Hound。 Old Granny Fox waited to see no more。 She ran as
fast as she could in a big circle which brought her out on the Lone Little
Path below Farmer Brown's boy and Bowser the Hound； but where they
couldn't see her； because of a turn in the Lone Little Path。 She trotted
down the Lone Little Path a very little way and then turned into the woods
and hurried back up the hill； where she sat down and waited。 In a few
minutes she heard Bowser's great voice。 He had smelled her track in the
Lone Little Path and was following it。 Old Granny Fox grinned。 You see；
she was planning to lead them far； far away from the home where Reddy
Fox was hiding； for it would not do to have them find it。
And Farmer Brown's boy also grinned； as he heard the voice of
Bowser the Hound。
〃I'll hunt that fox until I get him；〃 he said。 You see； he didn't know
anything about old Granny Fox； he thought Bowser was following Reddy
Fox。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
XIX Unc' Billy Possum Gives
Warning
〃What's the matter with you； Unc' Billy？ You look as if you had lost
your last friend。〃 It was Jimmy Skunk who spoke。
Unc' Billy Possum stopped short。 He had been hurrying so fast that he
hadn't seen Jimmy Skunk at all。
〃Matter enuff； Suh！ Matter enuff！〃 said Unc' Billy Possum； when he
could get his breath。 〃Do you hear that noise？〃
〃Sure； I hear that noise。 That's only Bowser the Hound chasing old
Granny Fox。 When she gets tired she'll lose him；〃 replied Jimmy Skunk。
〃What are you worrying about Bowser the Hound for？〃
〃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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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
