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Suh； Ah reckons yo' are right。 Was yo' ever hungry； Billy Minkreal
hungry？〃 asked Unc' Billy Possum。
Billy Mink thought of the time when he went without his dinner
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because Mr。 Night Heron had gobbled it up； when Billy had left it in a
temper。 He nodded his head。
〃Ah was just a…wondering；〃 continued Une' Billy Possum； 〃how it
would seem to be right smart powerful hungry and not be able to hunt fo'
anything to eat。〃
For a few minutes no one said a word。 Then Billy Mink stood up and
stretched。 〃Good…by；〃 said Billy Mink。
〃Where are you going so suddenly？〃 demanded Little Joe Otter。
〃I'm going to catch a fish and take it up to Reddy Fox； if you must
know！〃 snapped Billy Mink。
〃Good！〃 cried Little Joe Otter。 〃You needn't think that you can have all
the fun to yourself either； Billy Mink。 I'm going with you。〃
There was a splash in the Smiling Pool； and Unc' Billy Possum was
left looking out on nothing but the Smiling Pool and the Big Rock。 He
smiled to himself as he turned away。 〃Ah reckon Ah'll sho' have to do my
share； too；〃 said he。
And so it happened that when old Granny Fox finally reached home
with nothing but a little wood mouse for Reddy； she found him taking a
nap； his stomach as full as it could be。 And just a little way off were two
fish tails and the feathers of a little duck。
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XVII。 Farmer Brown's Boy Is
Determined
Farmer Brown's boy had made up his mind。 When he shut his teeth
with a click and drew his lips together into a thin； straight line； those who
knew him were sure that Farmer Brown's boy had made up his mind。 That
is just what he had done now。 He was cleaning his gun； and as he worked
he was thinking of his pet chicken and of all the other chickens that Reddy
Fox had taken。
〃I'm going to get that fox if it takes all summer！〃 exclaimed Farmer
Brown's boy。 〃I ought to have gotten him the other day when I had a shot
at him。 Next time well； we'll see； Mr。 Fox； what will happen next time。〃
Now someone heard Farmer Brown's boy； heard everything he said；
though Farmer Brown's boy didn't know it。 It was Unc' Billy Possum； who
was hiding in the very pile of wood on which Farmer Brown's boy was
sitting。 Unc' Billy pricked up his ears。
He didn't like the tone of voice in which Farmer Brown's boy spoke。
He thought of Reddy Fox still so stiff and sore and lame that he could
hardly walk； all from the shot which Farmer Brown's boy thought had
missed。
〃There isn't gwine to be any next time。 No； Suh； there isn't gwine to be
any next time。 Ah sho'ly doan love Reddy Fox； but Ah can't nohow let him
be shot again。 Ah cert'nly can't！〃 muttered Unc' Billy Possum to himself。
Of course； Farmer Brown's boy didn't hear him。 He didn't hear him and
he didn't see him when Unc' Billy Possum crept out of the back side of the
woodpile and scurried under the henhouse。 He was too intent on his plan
to catch Reddy Fox。
〃I'm just going to hunt over the Green Meadows and through the
Green Forest until I get that fox！〃 said Farmer Brown's boy； and as he said
it he looked very fierce； as if he really meant it。 〃I'm not going to have my
chickens stolen any more！ No； Sir…e…e！ That fox has got a home
somewhere on the Green Meadows or in the Green Forest； and I'm going
to find it。 Then watch out； Mr。 Fox！〃
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Farmer Brown's boy whistled for Bowser the Hound and started for the
Green Forest。
Unc' Billy Possum poked his sharp little old face out from under the
henhouse and watched them go。 Usually Unc' Billy is grinning； but now
there wasn't any grin； not the least sign of one。 Instead Unc' Billy Possum
looked worried。
〃There goes that boy with a gun； and nobody knows what'll happen
when it goes off。 If he can't find Reddy Fox； just as likely as not he'll point
it at somebody else just fo' fun。 Ah hope he doan meet up with mah ol'
woman or any of mah li'l' pickaninnies。 Ah'm plumb afraid of a boy with a
gun； Ah am。 'Pears like he doan have any sense。 Ah reckon Ah better be
moving along right smart and tell mah family to stay right close in the ol'
hollow tree；〃 muttered Unc' Billy Possum； slipping out from his hiding
place。 Then Unc' Billy began to run as fast as he could toward the Green
Forest。
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XVIII。 The Hunt for Reddy Fox
〃Trouble； trouble； trouble； I feel it in the air； Trouble； trouble； trouble；
it's round me everywhere。〃
Old Granny Fox muttered this over and over； as she kept walking
around uneasily and sniffing the air。
〃I don't see any trouble and I don't feel any trouble in the air。 It's all in
the sore places where I was shot；〃 said Reddy Fox； who was stretched out
on the doorstep of their home。
〃That's because you haven't got any sense。 When you do get some and
learn to look where you are going； you won't get shot from behind old tree
trunks and you will be able to feel trouble when it is near； without waiting
for it to show itself。 Now I feel trouble。 You go down into the house and
stay there！〃 Granny Fox stopped to test the air with her nose； just as she
had been testing it for the last ten minutes。
〃I don't want to go in；〃 whined Reddy Fox。 〃It's nice and warm out
here； and I feel a lot better than when I am curled up way down there in
the dark。〃
Old Granny Fox turned； and her eyes blazed as she looked at Reddy
Fox。 She didn't say a word。 She didn't have to。 Reddy just crawled into his
house； muttering to himself。 Granny stuck her head in at the door。
〃Don't you come out until I come back；〃 she ordered。 Then she added：
〃Farmer Brown's boy is coming with his gun。〃
Reddy Fox shivered when he heard that。 He didn't believe Granny Fox。
He thought she was saying that just to scare him and make him stay inside。
But he shivered just the same。 You see； he knew now what it meant to be
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 Pa