按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
reached for his gun。 〃I can't afford to raise chickens to feed foxes！〃 said he。
Then he whistled for Bowser the Hound； and together they started out。 It
wasn't long before Bowser found Reddy's tracks。
10
… Page 11…
THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
〃Bow； wow； wow； wow！〃 roared Bowser the Hound。
Reddy Fox； taking a nap on the edge of the Green Forest； heard
Bowser's big； deep voice。 He pricked up his ears； then he grinned。 〃I feel
just like a good run today；〃 said he； and trotted off along the Crooked
Little Path down the hill。
Now this was a beautiful summer day and Reddy knew that in summer
men and boys seldom hunt foxes。 〃It's only Bowser the Hound；〃 thought
Reddy； 〃and when I've had a good run； I'll play a trick on him so that he
will lose my track。〃 So Reddy didn't use his eyes as he should have done。
You see； he thought himself so smart that he had grown careless。 Yes； Sir；
Reddy Fox had grown careless。 He kept looking back to see where Bowser
the Hound was； but didn't look around to make sure that no other danger
was near。
Ol' Mistah Buzzard； sailing round and round； way up in the blue； blue
sky； could see everything going on down below。 He could see Reddy Fox
running along the edge of the Green Forest and every few minutes
stopping to chuckle and listen to Bowser the Hound trying to pick out the
trail Reddy had made so hard to follow by his twists and turns。 And he saw
something else； did Ol' Mistah Buzzard。 It looked to him very much like
the barrel of a gun sticking out from behind an old tree just ahead of
Reddy。
〃Ah reckon it's just like Ah said： Reddy Fox is gwine to meet trouble
right smart soon；〃 muttered Ol' Mistah Buzzard。
11
… Page 12…
THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
VI。 Drummer the Woodpecker
Drums in Vain
Once upon a time； before he had grown to think himself so very； very
smart； Reddy Fox would never； never have thought of running without
watching out in every direction。 He would have seen that thing that looked
like the barrel of a gun sticking out from behind the old tree toward which
he was running； and he would have been very suspicious； very suspicious
indeed。 But now all Reddy could think of was what a splendid chance he
had to show all the little meadow and forest people what a bold； smart
fellow he was。
So once more Reddy sat down and waited until Bowser the Hound was
almost up to him。 Just then Drummer the Woodpecker began to make a
tremendous noiserat…a…tat…tat…tat； rat…a…tat…tat…tat； rat…a…tat…tat…tat！ Now
everybody who heard that rat…a…tat…tat…tat knew that it was a danger signal。
Drummer the Woodpecker never drums just that way for pleasure。 But
Reddy Fox paid no attention to it。 He didn't notice it at all。 You see； he was
so full of the idea of his own smartness that he didn't have room for
anything else。
〃Stupid thing！〃 said Drummer the Woodpecker to himself。 〃I don't
know what I am trying to warn him for； anyway。 The Green Meadows and
the Green Forest would be better off without him； a lot better off！ Nobody
likes him。 He's a dreadful bully and is all the time trying to catch or scare
to death those who are smaller than he。 Still； he is so handsome！〃
Drummer cocked his head on one side and looked over at Reddy Fox。
Reddy was laughing to see how hard Bowser the Hound was working
to untangle Reddy's mixed…up trail。
〃Yes； Sir； he certainly is handsome；〃 said Drummer once more。
Then he looked down at the foot of the old tree on which he was
sitting； and what he saw caused Drummer to make up his mind。 〃I surely
would miss seeing that beautiful red coat of his！ I surely would！〃 he
muttered。 〃If he doesn't hear and heed now； it won't be my fault！〃 Then
Drummer the Woodpecker began such a furious rat…a…tat…tat…tat on the
12
… Page 13…
THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
trunk of the old tree that it rang through the Green Forest and out across
the Green Meadows almost to the Purple Hills。
Down at the foot of the tree a freckled face on which there was a black
scowl looked up。 It was the face of Farmer Brown's boy。
〃What ails that pesky woodpecker？〃 he muttered。 〃If he doesn't keep
still； he'll scare that fox！〃
He shook a fist at Drummer； but Drummer didn't appear to notice。 He
kept right on； rat…a…tat…tat…tat； rat…a…tat…tat…tat； rat…a…tat…tat…tat！
13
… Page 14…
THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
VII。 Too Late Reddy Fox Hears
Drummer the Woodpecker was pounding out his danger signal so fast
and so hard that his red head flew back and forth almost too fast to see。
Rat…a…tat…tat…a…tat…tat； beat Drummer on the old tree trunk on the edge of
the Green Forest。 When he stopped for breath； he looked down into the
scowling face of Farmer Brown's boy； who was hiding behind the old tree
trunk。
Drummer didn't like the looks of that scowl； not a bit。 And he didn't
like the looks of the gun which Farmer Brown's boy had。 He knew that
Farmer Brown's boy was hiding there to shoot Reddy Fox； but Drummer
was beginning to be afraid that Farmer Brown's boy might guess what all
that drumming meantthat it was a warning to Reddy Fox。 And if Farmer
Brown's boy did guess that； whywhyanyway； on the other side of the
tree there was a better place to drum。 So Drummer the Woodpecker crept
around to the other side of the tree and in a minute was drumming harder
than ever。 Whenever he stopped for breath； he looked out over the Green
Meadows to see if Reddy Fox had heard his warning。
But if Reddy had heard； he hadn't heeded。 Just to show off before all
the little meadow and forest people； Reddy had waited until Bowser the
Hound had almost reached him。 Then； with a saucy flirt of his tail； Reddy
Fox started to show how fast he could run； and that is very fast indeed。 It
made Bowser the Hound seem very slow； as； with his nose to the ground；
he came racing after Reddy； making a tremendous noise with his great
voice。
Now Reddy Fox had grown as careless as he had grown bold。 Instead
of looking sharply ahead； he looked this way and that way to see who was
watching and admiring him。 So he took no note of where he was going
and started straight for the old tree trunk on which Drummer the
Woodpecker was pounding out his warning of danger。
Now Reddy Fox has sharp eyes and very quick ears。 My； my； indeed
he has！ But just now Reddy was as deaf as if he had cotton stuffed in his
ears。 He was chuckling to himself to think how he was going to fool
Bowser the Hound and how smart everyone would think him； when all of
14
… Page 15…
THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
a sudden； he heard the rat…a…tat…tata…tat…tat of Drummer the Woodpecker
and knew that that meant 〃Danger！〃
For just a wee little second it seemed to Reddy Fox that his heart
stopped beating。 He couldn't stop running； for he had let Bowser the
Hound get too close for that。 Reddy's sharp