THINGS HAPPEN ALL AT ONCE
The cleverest Fox is almost certain to visit the chicken yard
once too often.
_Bowser the Hound._
Jolly, round, bright Mr. Sun, high in the blue, blue sky, looked down on
as peaceful a scene as ever was. In the cowyard back of the barn of this
particular farm stood several cows contentedly chewing their cuds as
they took their daily airing. Half a dozen fat hens were walking about
among them and scratching in the straw. Out in the farmyard in front of
the barn were many more fat hens. Behind a pile of old boards just
outside the cowyard was a spot of red. In the top of a tall tree not far
distant was a spot of black. The smoke from the chimney of the farmhouse
floated skyward in a lazy way. Looking down on the Great World, jolly,
round, bright Mr. Sun saw no more peaceful scene anywhere.
By and by a fat hen walked over to the bars of the cowyard and hopped up
on the lower bar. There she sat for some time. Then, making up her mind
that she would see what was outside, she hopped down and walked over to
the pile of old boards. Right then things happened all at once. That red
spot behind the pile of old boards suddenly came to life. There was a
quick spring, and that fat hen was seized by the neck so suddenly that
she didn't have time to make a sound. At the same instant the black spot
in the top of the tall tree came to life, and Blacky the Crow flew over
to the roof of the barn, screaming at the top of his lungs. Now those
who know Blacky well, know when he is screaming "Fox! Fox! Fox!"
although it sounds as if he were saying "Caw! Caw! Caw!"
In a moment the door of the farmhouse flew open, and a man stepped out
with a dog at his heels. The man looked up at Blacky, and he knew by
Blacky's actions that something was going on back of the barn. Right
away he guessed that there must be a Fox there, and calling the dog to
follow, he ran around to see what was happening. Of course Reddy heard
him coming, and with a little snarl of anger at Blacky the Crow, he
seized the fat hen by the neck, threw her body over his shoulder, and
started for the near-by swamp as fast as his legs could take him.
Just as Reddy reached the edge of the swamp, he heard the roar of a
great voice behind him. He knew that voice. It was the voice of Bowser
the Hound. It could be no one else but Bowser who was behind him, for
there was no other voice quite like his. Dismay awoke in Reddy's heart.
He knew that Bowser was wise to the tricks of Foxes, and that he would
have to use all his cunning to get rid of Bowser. To do it he would have
to drop that fat hen he had come so far to get. Do you wonder that Reddy
was dismayed?