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Briar…patch and grinned rather sheepishly。 〃What was that you were saying
about Reddy Fox？〃 he asked again。
〃I've a good mind not to tell you； Mr。 Know…it…all；〃 exclaimed Johnny
Chuck。
〃Oh； please； Johnny Chuck；〃 pleaded Peter Rabbit。
Finally Johnny gave in。 〃I said that Reddy Fox can't walk。 Aren't you
glad； Peter？〃
〃How do you know？〃 asked Peter； for Peter is very suspicious of
Reddy Fox； and has to watch out for his tricks all the time。
〃Jimmy Skunk told me。 He was up by Reddy's house early this
morning and saw Reddy try to walk。 He tried and tried and couldn't。 You
won't have to watch out for Reddy Fox for some time； Peter。 Serves him
right； doesn't it？''
〃Let's go up and see if it really is true！〃 said Peter suddenly。
〃All right；〃 said Johnny Chuck； and off they started。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
X。 Poor Reddy Fox
Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck stole up the hill toward the home of
Reddy Fox。 As they drew near； they crept from one bunch of grass to
another and from bush to bush； stopping behind each to look and listen。
They were not taking any chances。 Johnny Chuck was not much afraid of
Reddy Fox； for he had whipped him once； but he was afraid of old Granny
Fox。 Peter Rabbit was afraid of both。 The nearer he got to the home of
Reddy Fox； the more anxious and nervous he grew。 You see； Reddy Fox
had played so many tricks to try and catch Peter that Peter was not quite
sure that this was not another trick。 So he kept a sharp watch in every
direction； ready to run at the least sign of danger。
When they had tiptoed and crawled to a point where they could see the
doorstep of the Fox home； Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck lay down in a
clump of bushes and watched。 Pretty soon they saw old Granny Fox come
out。 She sniffed the wind and then she started off at a quick run down the
Lone Little Path。 Johnny Chuck gave a sigh of relief； for he wasn't afraid
of Reddy and now he felt safe。 But Peter Rabbit was just as watchful as
ever。
〃I've got to see Reddy for myself before I'll go a step nearer； he
whispered。 Just then Johnny Chuck put a hand on his lips and pointed with
the other hand。 There was Reddy Fox crawling out of his doorway into the
sun。 Peter Rabbit leaned forward to see better。 Was Reddy Fox really so
badly hurt； or was he only pretending？
Reddy Fox crawled painfully out onto his doorstep。 He tried to stand
and walk； but he couldn't because he was too stiff and sore。 So he just
crawled。 He didn't know that anyone was watching him； and with every
movement he made a face。 That was because it hurt so。
Peter Rabbit； watching from the clump of bushes； knew then that
Reddy was not pretending。 He knew that he had nothing； not the least little
thing； to fear from Reddy Fox。 So Peter gave a whoop of joy and sprang
out into view。
Reddy looked up and tried to grin； but made a face of pain instead。
You see； it hurt so to move。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
〃I suppose you're tickled to death to see me like this；〃 he growled to
Peter Rabbit。
Now Peter had every reason to be glad； for Reddy Fox had tried his
best to catch Peter Rabbit to give to old Granny Fox for her dinner； and
time and again Peter had just barely escaped。 So at first Peter Rabbit had
whooped with joy。 But as he saw how very helpless Reddy really was and
how much pain he felt； suddenly Peter Rabbit's big； soft eyes filled with
tears of pity。
He forgot all about the threats of Reddy Fox and how Reddy had tried
to trick him。 He forgot all about how mean Reddy had been。
〃Poor Reddy Fox；〃 said Peter Rabbit。 〃Poor Reddy Fox。〃
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
XI。 Granny Fox Returns
Up over the hill trotted old Granny Fox。 She was on her way home
with a tender young chicken for Reddy Fox。 Poor Reddy！ Of course； it
was his own fault； for he had been showing off and he had been careless or
he never would have gone so near to the old tree trunk behind which
Farmer Brown's boy was hiding。
But old Granny Fox didn't know this。 She never makes such mistakes
herself。 Oh； my； no！ So now； as she came up over the hill to a place where
she could see her home； she laid the chicken down and then she crept
behind a little bush and looked all over the Green Meadows to see if the
way was clear。 She knew that Bowser the Hound was chained up。 She had
seen Farmer Brown and Farmer Brown's boy hoeing in the cornfield； so
she had nothing to fear from them。
Looking over to her doorstep； she saw Reddy Fox lying in the sun； and
then she saw something else； something that made her eyes flash and her
teeth come together with a snap。 It was Peter Rabbit sitting up very
straight； not ten feet from Reddy Fox。
〃So that's that young scamp of a Peter Rabbit whom Reddy was going
to catch for me when I was sick and couldn't！ I'll just show Reddy Fox
how easily it can be done； and he shall have tender young rabbit with his
chicken！〃 said Granny Fox to herself。
So first she studied and studied every clump of grass and every bush
behind which she could creep。 She saw that she could get almost to where
Peter Rabbit was sitting and never once show herself to him。 Then she
looked this way and looked that way to make sure that no one was
watching her。
No one did she see on the Green Meadows who was looking her way。
Then Granny Fox began to crawl from one clump of grass to another and
from bush to bush。 Sometimes she wriggled along flat on her stomach。
Little by little she was drawing nearer and nearer to Peter Rabbit。
Now with all her smartness old Granny Fox had forgotten one thing。
Yes； Sir； she had forgotten one thing。 Never once had she thought to look
up in the sky。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
And there was Ol' Mistah Buzzard sailing round and round and
looking down and seeing all that was going on below。
Ol' Mistah Buzzard is sharp。 He knew just what old Granny Fox was
planning to doknew it as well as if he had read her thoughts。 His eyes
twinkled。
〃Ah cert'nly can't allow li'l' Brer Rabbit to be hurt； Ah cert'nly can't！〃
muttered Ol' Mistah Buzzard； and chuckled。
Then he slanted his broad wings downward and without a sound slid
down out of the sky till he was right behind Granny Fox。
〃Do yo' always crawl home； Granny Fox？〃 asked Ol' Mistah Buzzard。
Granny Fox was so startled； for she hadn't heard a sound； that she
jumped almost out of her skin。 Of course Peter Rabbit saw her then； and
was off like a shot。
Granny Fox showed all her teeth。 〃I wish you would mind your own
business； Mistah Buzzard！〃 she snarled。
〃Cert'nly； cert'nly； Ah sho'ly will！〃 replied Ol' Mistah Buzzard； and
sailed up into the blue； blue sky。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
XII。 The