A LITTLE UNPLEASANTNESS
Watch a Coyote most closely when it appears that he least needs
watching.
_Bowser the Hound._
Never in his life had Reddy Fox visited Farmer Brown's henhouse with
quite such a comfortable feeling as he now had. He knew for a certainty
that Bowser the Hound was not at home. He knew because he had finally
crept up and peeped in the door of Bowser's little house. What had
become of Bowser he didn't know, and he didn't care. It was enough to
know that he wasn't about.
"I hope Farmer Brown's boy has forgotten to close that little doorway
where the hens run in and out," muttered Reddy, as he trotted across
Farmer Brown's dooryard. Once he stopped, and looking up at the lighted
windows of the house, grinned. You see, with Bowser gone, Reddy wasn't
the least bit afraid.
"If I can get into that henhouse," thought Reddy, "I certainly will have
one good feast to-night. That is, I will if those stupid hens are not
roosting so high that I can't get them. I'll eat one right there."
Reddy's mouth watered at the very thought. "Then I'll take one home to
Mrs. Reddy. If there is time we both will come back for a couple more."
So Reddy made pleasant plans as he approached Farmer Brown's henhouse.
When he reached it he paused to listen to certain sounds within, certain
fretful little cluckings. Reddy sat down for a minute with his tongue
hanging out and the water actually dripping from it. He could shut his
eyes and see those roosts with the hens crowded together so that every
once in a while one would be wakened and fretfully protest against being
crowded so.
But Reddy sat there only for a minute. He was too eager to find out if
it would prove to be possible to get inside that henhouse. Running
swiftly but cautiously past the henhouse and along one side of the
henyard, he peeped around the corner to see if by any chance the yard
gate had been left open. His heart gave a leap of joy as he saw that the
gate was not quite closed. All he would have to do would be to push it
and enter.
Reddy turned the corner quickly. Just as he put up one paw to push the
gate open, a low but decidedly ugly growl made him jump back with every
hair of his coat standing on end. His first thought was of Bowser. It
must be that Bowser had returned! Believing in safety first, Reddy did
not stop to see who had growled, but ran swiftly a short distance. Then
he looked behind him. Over at the gate of Farmer Brown's henyard he
could see a dark form. At once Reddy knew that it wasn't Bowser the
Hound, for it had a bushy tail, while Bowser's was smooth. Reddy knew
who it was. It was Old Man Coyote.
[Illustration: OVER AT THE GATE OF FARMER BROWN'S HENYARD HE COULD SEE A
DARK FORM]