Farmer Brown's boy had made up his mind. When he shut his teeth with a
click and drew his lips together into a thin, straight line, those who
knew him were sure that Farmer Brown's boy had made up his mind. That is
just what he had done now. He was cleaning his gun, and as he worked he
was thinking of his pet chicken and of all the other chickens that Reddy
Fox had taken.
“I'm going to get that fox if it takes all summer!” exclaimed Farmer
Brown's boy. “I ought to have gotten him the other day when I had a shot
at him. Next time well, we'll see, Mr. Fox, what will happen next time.”
Now someone heard Farmer Brown's boy, heard everything he said, though
Farmer Brown's boy didn't know it. It was Unc' Billy Possum, who was
hiding in the very pile of wood on which Farmer Brown's boy was sitting.
Unc' Billy pricked up his ears.
He didn't like the tone of voice in which Farmer Brown's boy spoke.
He thought of Reddy Fox still so stiff and sore and lame that he could
hardly walk, all from the shot which Farmer Brown's boy thought had
missed.
“There isn't gwine to be any next time. No, Suh, there isn't gwine to be
any next time. Ah sho'ly doan love Reddy Fox, but Ah can't nohow let
him be shot again. Ah cert'nly can't!” muttered Unc' Billy Possum to
himself.
Of course, Farmer Brown's boy didn't hear him. He didn't hear him and he
didn't see him when Unc' Billy Possum crept out of the back side of the
woodpile and scurried under the henhouse. He was too intent on his plan
to catch Reddy Fox.
“I'm just going to hunt over the Green Meadows and through the Green
Forest until I get that fox!” said Farmer Brown's boy, and as he said it
he looked very fierce, as if he really meant it. “I'm not going to
have my chickens stolen any more! No, Sir-e-e! That fox has got a home
somewhere on the Green Meadows or in the Green Forest, and I'm going to
find it. Then watch out, Mr. Fox!”
Farmer Brown's boy whistled for Bowser the Hound and started for the
Green Forest.
Unc' Billy Possum poked his sharp little old face out from under the
henhouse and watched them go. Usually Unc' Billy is grinning, but now
there wasn't any grin, not the least sign of one. Instead Unc' Billy
Possum looked worried.
“There goes that boy with a gun, and nobody knows what'll happen when it
goes off. If he can't find Reddy Fox, just as likely as not he'll point
it at somebody else just fo' fun. Ah hope he doan meet up with mah ol'
woman or any of mah li'l' pickaninnies. Ah'm plumb afraid of a boy with
a gun, Ah am. 'Pears like he doan have any sense. Ah reckon Ah better be
moving along right smart and tell mah family to stay right close in
the ol' hollow tree,” muttered Unc' Billy Possum, slipping out from his
hiding place. Then Unc' Billy began to run as fast as he could toward
the Green Forest.