Is doing what he knows is right.
A coward he, the world would say,
Should he turn tail and run away.
|BOBBY COON couldn't run away if he wanted to. I suspect that he would
have run only too gladly if there had been the least chance to. But
there he was, a prisoner in his own house. He couldn't get out if he
wanted to, and he didn't want to just then because he knew by the sound
of Bowser the Hound's deep sniffs at his doorway, followed by his eager
barks, that Bowser had discovered that he, Bobby, was at home. He knew
that Bowser couldn't get in, and so he was very well content to stay
where he was.
But presently Bobby heard the voice of Fanner Brown's boy, and though
Bobby didn't understand what Farmer Brown's boy said, his heart sank
way down to his toes just the same. At least, that is the way it felt
to Bobby. You see, he knew by the sound of that voice, even though he
couldn't understand the words, that Farmer Brown's boy had understood
Bowser, and now knew that there was some one at home in that hollow
tree.
As to that Bobby was quite right. While Farmer Brown's boy couldn't
understand what Bowser was saying as he whined and yelped, he did
understand perfectly what Bowser meant.
“Who is it, Bowser, old fellow? Is it a Squirrel, or Whitefoot the Wood
Mouse, or that sly old scamp, Unc' Billy Possum?” asked Farmer Brown's
boy.
“Bow, wow, wow!” replied Bowser, dancing about between sniffs at Bobby's
doorway.
“I don't know what that means, but I'm going to find out, Bowser,”
laughed Farmer Brown's boy, picking up his axe.
“Bow, wow! Bow, wow, wow, wow!” replied Bowser, more excited than ever.
First Farmer Brown's boy had Farmer Brown bold Bowser away from the
opening. Then with his axe he thumped all along the hollow part of the
tree, hoping that this would frighten whoever was inside so that they
would try to run out. But Bobby couldn't get out because, as you know,
his doorway was partly closed, and he wouldn't have even it he could;
he felt safer right where he was. So Farmer Brown's boy thumped in vain.
When he found that this was useless, he drove the keen edge of his axe
in right at the edge of the hole which was Bobby's doorway. Farmer Brown
joined with his axe, and in a few minutes they had slit out a long strip
which reached clear to where Bobby was crouching and let the light pour
in, so that he had to blink and for a minute or two had hard work to see
at all.
Right away Bowser discovered him, and growling savagely, tried to get at
him. But the opening wasn't wide enough for Bowser to get more than his
nose in, and this Bobby promptly seized in his sharp teeth.
“Yow-w-w! Oh-o-o! Let go! Let go!” yelled Bowser.
“Gr-r-r-r-r!” growled Bobby, and tried to sink his teeth deeper. Bowser
yelled and howled and shook his head and pulled as hard as ever he
could, so that at last Bobby had to let go. Farmer Brown's boy hurried
up to look in. What he saw was a mouthful of sharp teeth snapping at
him. Bobby Coon might have been very much afraid, but he didn't show it.
No, Sir, he didn't show it. What he did show was that he meant to fight
for his life, liberty, and home. He was very fierce looking, was Bobby
Coon, as Farmer Brown's boy peeped in at him.