DANNY is so used to narrow escapes that he doesn’t waste any time
thinking about them. He didn’t this time. “He who tries to look two
ways at once is pretty sure to see nothing,” says Danny, and he knew
that if he thought too much about the things that had already happened,
he couldn’t keep a sharp watch for the things that might happen.
Nothing more happened as he hurried along his private little path to
the edge of a great patch of grass so short that he couldn’t hide under
it. He had got to cross this, and all the way he would be in plain
sight of any one who happened to be near. Very cautiously he peeped
out and looked this way and looked that way, not forgetting to look up
in the sky. He could see no one anywhere. Drawing a long breath, Danny
started across the open place as fast as his short legs could take him.
[Illustration: With another frightened squeak, Danny dived into the
opening just in time. _Page 107._]
Now all the time, Redtail the Hawk had been sitting in a tree some
distance away, sitting so still that he looked like a part of the tree
itself. That is why Danny hadn’t seen him. But Redtail saw Danny the
instant he started across the open place, for Redtail’s eyes are very
keen, and he can see a great distance. With a satisfied chuckle, he
spread his broad wings and started after Danny.
Just about half-way to the safety of the long grass on the other
side, Danny gave a hurried look behind him, and his heart seemed
to jump right into his mouth, for there was Redtail with his cruel
claws already set to seize him! Danny gave a frightened squeak, for he
thought that surely this time he would be caught. But he didn’t mean to
give up without trying to escape. Three jumps ahead of him was a queer
looking thing. He didn’t know what it was, but if there was a hole in
it he might yet fool Redtail.
One jump! Would he be able to reach it? Two jumps! There _was_ a hole
in it! Three jumps! With another frightened squeak, Danny dived into
the opening just in time. And what do you think he was in? Why, an old
tomato can Farmer Brown’s boy had once used to carry bait in when he
went fishing at the Smiling Pool. He had dropped it there on his way
home.
Redtail screamed with rage and disappointment as he struck the old can
with his great claws. He had been sure, very sure of Danny Meadow Mouse
this time! He tried to pick the can up, but he couldn’t get hold of it.
It just rolled away from him every time, try as he would. Finally, in
disgust, he gave up and flew back to the tree from which he had first
seen Danny.
Of course Danny had been terribly frightened when the can rolled, and
by the noise the claws of Redtail made when they struck his queer
hiding-place. But he wisely decided that the best thing he could do was
to stay there for a while. And it was very fortunate that he did so, as
he was very soon to find out.