HOW REDDY FOX INVESTIGATED
In-vest-i-gate if you would know
That something is or isn't so.
_Bowser the Hound._
To in-vest-i-gate something means to try to find out about it. Reddy Fox
had heard from so many different ones about the disappearance of Bowser
that he finally made up his mind that he would in-vest-i-gate and find
out for himself if it were true that Bowser was no longer at home in
Farmer Brown's dooryard. If it were true,--well, Reddy had certain plans
of his own in regard to Farmer Brown's henhouse.
Reddy had begun by doubting that story because it seemed to have come
first from Old Man Coyote. Reddy would doubt anything with which Old Man
Coyote was concerned. But Reddy had finally come to believe that
something certainly had happened because half a dozen times during the
day he had heard Farmer Brown's boy whistle and whistle and call and
call.
Just as soon as the Black Shadows came creeping out from the Purple
Hills, Reddy started up towards Farmer Brown's. He didn't go directly
there, because he never goes directly anywhere if there is the least
chance in the world that any one may be watching him. But as he slipped
along in the blackest of the Black Shadows, he was all the time working
nearer and nearer to Farmer Brown's dooryard. Although he was inclined
to think it was true that Bowser was not there, he was far too wise to
take any unnecessary risk. He approached Farmer Brown's dooryard just as
carefully as if he knew Bowser to be in his little house as usual. He
kept in the Black Shadows. He crouched so low that he seemed hardly more
than a Black Shadow himself. Every two or three steps he stopped to
look, listen, and test the air with his keen nose.
As he drew near Bowser's own little house, Reddy circled out around it
until he could see the doorway. Then he sat down where he could peek
around from behind a tree and watch. He had been there only a few
moments when the back door of Farmer Brown's house opened and Farmer
Brown's boy stepped out. Reddy didn't run. He knew that Farmer Brown's
boy would never dream that he would dare come so near. Besides, it was
very clear that Farmer Brown's boy was thinking of no one but Bowser. He
whistled and called just as he had done several times during the day.
But no Bowser came, so after a while Farmer Brown's boy went back into
the house. There was a worried look on his face.
As soon as he heard the door close, Reddy trotted right out in the open
and sat down only a few feet from the black doorway of Bowser's little
house. Reddy barked softly. Then he barked a little louder. He knew that
if Bowser were at home, that bark would bring him out if nothing else
did. Bowser didn't appear. Reddy grinned. He was sure now that Bowser
was nowhere about. Chuckling to himself, he turned and trotted towards
Farmer Brown's henhouse.