Old Granny Fox felt her heart sink way down to her toes, for she felt
sure Ol' Mistah Buzzard had seen Farmer Brown's boy and his gun over
near the house where Reddy Fox was nursing his wounds, or he wouldn't
have advised her to hurry home. She was already very tired and hot from
the long run to lead Bowser the Hound away from the Green Meadows. She
had thought to walk home along shady paths and cool off, but now she
must run faster than ever, for she must know if Farmer Brown's boy had
found her house.
“It's lucky I told Reddy Fox to go inside and not come out till I
returned; it's very lucky I did that,” thought Granny Fox as she ran.
Presently she heard voices singing. They seemed to be in the treetops
over her head.
“Happily we dance and play
All the livelong sunny day!
Happily we run and race
And win or lose with smiling face!”
Granny Fox knew the voices, and she looked up. Just as she expected, she
saw the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind playing among the
leaves. Just then one of them looked down and saw her.
“There's old Granny Fox! Just see how hot and tired she looks. Let's go
down and cool her off!” shouted the Merry Little Breeze.
In a flash they were all down out of the treetops and dancing around
old Granny Fox, cooling her off. Of course, Granny Fox kept right on
running. She was too worried not to. But the Merry Little Breezes kept
right beside her, and it was not nearly as hard running now as it had
been.
“Have you seen Farmer Brown's boy?” panted Granny Fox.
“Oh, yes! We saw him just a little while ago over near your house,
Granny Fox. We pulled his hat off, just to hear him scold,” shouted the
Merry Little Breezes, and then they tickled and laughed as if they had
had a good time with Farmer Brown's boy.
But old Granny Fox didn't laugh--oh, my, no, indeed! Her heart went
lower still, and she did her best to run faster. Pretty soon she came
out on the top of the hill where she could look, and then it seemed as
if her heart came right up in her mouth and stopped beating. Her eyes
popped almost out of her head. There was Farmer Brown's boy standing
right in front of the door of her home. And while she was watching, what
should Reddy Fox do but stick his head out the door.
Old Granny Fox saw the gun of Farmer Brown's boy pointed right at Reddy
and she clapped both hands over her eyes to shut out the dreadful sight.
Then she waited for the bang of the gun. It didn't come. Then Granny
peeped through her fingers. Farmer Brown's boy was still there, but
Reddy Fox had disappeared inside the house.
Granny Fox sighed in relief. It had been a terrible scare, the worst she
could remember.