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Hound get too close for that。 Reddy's sharp eyes saw Drummer the
Woodpecker near the top of the old tree trunk and noticed that Drummer
seemed to be looking at something down below。 Reddy Fox gave one
quick look at the foot of the old tree trunk and saw a gun pointed at him
and behind the gun the freckled face of Farmer Brown's boy。 Reddy Fox
gave a little gasp of fright and turned so suddenly that he almost fell flat。
Then he began to run as never in his life had he run before。 It seemed as
though his flying feet hardly touched the grass。 His eyes were popping out
with fright as with every jump he tried to run just a wee bit faster。
Bang！ Bang！ Two flashes of fire and two puffs of smoke darted from
behind the old tree trunk。 Drummer the Woodpecker gave a frightened
scream and flew deep into the Green Forest。 Peter Rabbit flattened himself
under a friendly bramble bush。 Johnny Chuck dived headfirst down his
doorway。
Reddy Fox gave a yelp； a shrill little yelp of pain； and suddenly began
to go lame。 But Farmer Brown's boy didn't know that。 He thought he had
missed and he growled to himself：
〃I'll get that fox yet for stealing my pet chicken！〃
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
VIII。 Granny Fox Takes Care of
Reddy
Reddy Fox was so sore and lame that he could hardly hobble。 He had
had the hardest kind of work to get far enough ahead of Bowser the Hound
to mix his trail up so that Bowser couldn't follow it。 Then he had limped
home； big tears running down his nose； although he tried hard not to cry。
〃Oh！ Oh！ Oh！〃 moaned Reddy Fox； as he crept in at the doorway of his
home。
〃What's the matter now？〃 snapped old Granny Fox； who had just
waked up from a sun nap。
〃II've got hurt；〃 said Reddy Fox； and began to cry harder。 Granny
Fox looked at Reddy sharply。 〃What have you been doing nowtearing
your clothes on a barbed…wire fence or trying to crawl through a bull…briar
thicket？ I should think you were big enough by this time to look out for
yourself！〃 said Granny Fox crossly； as she came over to look at Reddy's
hurts。
〃Please don't scold； please don't； Granny Fox；〃 begged Reddy； who
was beginning to feel sick to his stomach as well as lame； and to smart
dreadfully。
Granny Fox took one look at Reddy's wounds； and knew right away
what had happened。 She made Reddy stretch himself out at full length and
then she went to work on him； washing his wounds with the greatest care
and binding them up。 She was very gentle； was old Granny Fox； as she
touched the sore places； but all the time she was at work her tongue flew；
and that wasn't gentle at all。 Oh； my； no！ There was nothing gentle about
that！
You see； old Granny Fox is wise and very； very sharp and shrewd。 Just
as soon as she saw Reddy's hurts； she knew that they were made by shot
from a gun； and that meant that Reddy Fox had been careless or he never；
never would have been where he was in danger of being shot。
〃I hope this will teach you a lesson！〃 said Granny Fox。 〃What are your
eyes and your ears and your nose for？ To keep you out of just such trouble
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
as this。
〃A little Fox must use his eyes Or get someday a sad surprise。
〃A little Fox must use his ears And know what makes each sound he
hears。
〃A little Fox must use his nose And try the wind where'er he goes。
〃A little Fox must use all three To live to grow as old as me。
〃Now tell me all about it； Reddy Fox。 This is summer and men don't
hunt foxes now。 I don't see how it happens that Farmer Brown's boy was
waiting for you with a gun。
So Reddy Fox told Granny Fox all about how he had run too near the
old tree trunk behind which Farmer Brown's boy had been hiding； but
Reddy didn't tell how he had been trying to show off； or how in broad
daylight he had stolen the pet chicken of Farmer Brown's boy。 You may be
sure he was very careful not to mention that。
And so old Granny Fox puckered up her brows and thought and
thought； trying to find some good reason why Farmer Brown's boy should
have been hunting in the summertime。
〃Caw； caw； caw！〃 shouted Blacky the Crow。
The face of Granny Fox cleared。 〃Blacky the Crow has been stealing；
and Farmer Brown's boy was out after him when Reddy came along；〃 said
Granny Fox； talking out loud to herself。
Reddy Fox grew very red in the face； but he never said a word。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
IX。 Peter Rabbit Hears the News
Johnny Chuck came running up to the edge of the Old Briarpatch quite
out of breath。 You see； he is so round and fat and roly…poly that to run
makes him puff and blow。 Johnny Chuck's eyes danced with excitement as
he peered into the Old Briar…patch； trying to see Peter Rabbit。
〃Peter！ Peter Rabbit！ Oh； Peter！〃 he called。 No one answered。 Johnny
Chuck looked disappointed。 It was the middle of the morning； and he had
thought that Peter would surely be at home then。 He would try once more。
〃Oh； you Peter Rabbit！〃 he shouted in such a high…pitched voice that it
was almost a squeal。
〃What you want？〃 asked a sleepy voice from the middle of the Old
Briar…patch。
Johnny Chuck's face lighted up。 〃Come out here； Peter； where I can
look at you；〃 cried Johnny。
〃Go away； Johnny Chuck！ I'm sleepy；〃 said Peter Rabbit； and his voice
sounded just a wee bit cross； for Peter had been out all night； a habit which
Peter has。
〃I've got some news for you； Peter；〃 called Johnny Chuck eagerly。
〃How do you know it's news to me？〃 asked Peter； and Johnny noticed
that his voice wasn't quite so cross。
〃I'm almost sure it is； for I've just heard it myself； and I've hurried
right down here to tell you because I think you'll want to know it；〃 replied
Johnny Chuck。
〃Pooh！〃 said Peter Rabbit； 〃it's probably as old as the hills to me。 You
folks who go to bed with the sun don't hear the news until it's old。 What is
it？〃
〃It's about Reddy Fox；〃 began Johnny Chuck； but Peter Rabbit
interrupted him。
〃Shucks； Johnny Chuck！ You are slow！ Why； it was all over Green
Meadows last night how Reddy Fox had been shot by Farmer Brown's
boy！〃 jeered Peter Rabbit。 〃That's no news。 And here you've waked me up
to tell me something I knew before you went to bed last night！ Serves
Reddy Fox right。 Hope he'll be lame for a week；〃 added Peter Rabbit。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
〃He can't walk at all！〃 cried Johnny Chuck in triumph； sure now that
Peter Rabbit hadn't heard the news。
〃What's that？〃 demanded Peter； and Johnny Chuck could hear him
begin to hop along one of his little private paths in the heart of the Old
Briar…patch。 He knew now that Peter Rabbit's curiosity was aroused； and
he smiled to himself。
In a few minutes Peter thrust a sleepy…looking face out from the Old
Briar…patch and grinned rather sheepishly。 〃What was that you were s