JUMPER IS IN A DREADFUL STATE OF MIND
May fortune spare you from the fate
Of those who find mistakes too late.
_Billy Mink._
Jumper was so intent watching behind him for Billy Mink that he forgot
to keep a sharp watch ahead of him. The result was that he almost ran
into Old Man Coyote. Old Man Coyote had come over to the Green Forest,
hoping to find Whitefoot the Wood Mouse or Mrs. Grouse or some one else
who would furnish him with a dinner. So, you can guess how pleased Old
Man Coyote was when he caught sight of that white form bounding along
straight toward him.
Old Man Coyote crouched as flat as he could right where he was. He
didn’t dare move lest Jumper should see him. “That fellow is in a
terrible hurry,” thought Old Man Coyote. “He acts as if he is scared
half to death. He never runs that way unless some one is chasing him. I
wonder if it can be that Reddy Fox is hunting over here to-night. Well,
it doesn’t make much difference to me who is after Jumper so long as he
drives Jumper right into my mouth. It looks to me as if I am to have the
best dinner of the whole winter. Goodness knows I need it. It’s a long
time since I’ve had a good, square meal.”
Straight toward Old Man Coyote, Jumper bounded along. His eyes were
rolled back to watch for Billy Mink and he paid no heed at all to what
was ahead of him. Now it seemed as if a good fairy must have been
watching over Jumper the Hare, for just before he reached Old Man Coyote
something prompted him to change his course. He didn’t see Old Man
Coyote. He didn’t know that Old Man Coyote was anywhere about. But
something prompted him to change his course, and he turned abruptly to
the right.
With a little snarl of disappointment Old Man Coyote sprang after him.
The instant he moved, Jumper saw him. Now Old Man Coyote is very swift
of foot. Jumper was tired. You know he had been running for an hour.
Jumper gave a little shriek of fear and then he headed straight for a
brush pile not far off. He reached it none too soon.
With his heart going pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat, Jumper crouched
under the pile of brush and hope died within him. He had escaped Old Man
Coyote, but there was Billy Mink following him. He didn’t dare leave the
brush pile because of Old Man Coyote, and he didn’t dare stay there
because of Billy Mink. Jumper was in a dreadful state of mind.