Bowser The Hound by Thornton W. Burgess
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Thornton W. Burgess >> Bowser The Hound
Blacky pretended not to hear this. "I've often thought," said he, "of
you and Mrs. Reddy as I have looked down at those fat hens. It is too
bad that they are so far away."
CHAPTER XXVIII
REDDY FOX DREAMS OF CHICKENS
It's a poor watch-dog who sleeps with both eyes closed.
_Bowser the Hound._
Reddy Fox watched Blacky the Crow grow smaller and smaller until he was
just a black speck in the distance. Finally he disappeared. Reddy looked
very thoughtful. He looked that way because he _was_ thoughtful. In
fact, Reddy was doing a lot of hard thinking. He was thinking about
those chickens Blacky had told him of. The more he thought of them, the
hungrier he grew. You see, Reddy had been having rather a hard time to
get enough to eat.
"Yes, Sir," said Reddy to himself, "I would go a long, long distance to
get a good plump hen. I wish I knew just where that farm is that that
black rascal talked about. I wonder if he has gone that way now. If I
were sure that he has, I would make a little journey in that direction
myself. But I'm not sure. That black rascal flies all over the country.
That farm may lie in the direction he has gone now, and it may be in
quite the opposite direction. Somehow I've got to find out in just which
direction it is."
Reddy yawned, for he had been out all night, and he was sleepy. He
decided that the best thing he could do would be to get a good rest. One
must always be fit if one is to get on in this life. The harder one must
work, the more fit one should keep, and a proper amount of sleep is one
of the most necessary things in keeping fit. So Reddy curled up to
sleep.
Hardly had his eyes closed when he began to dream. You see, he had been
thinking so hard about those fat hens, and he was so hungry for one of
them, that right away he began to dream of fat hens. It was a beautiful
dream. At least, it was a beautiful dream to Reddy. Fat hens were all
about him. They were so fat that they could hardly walk. Not only were
they fat, but they seemed to think that their one object in life was to
fill the stomachs of hungry foxes, for they just stood about waiting to
be caught.
Never in all his life had Reddy Fox known anything so wonderful as was
that dream. There were no dogs to worry him. There were no hunters with
dreadful guns. All he had to do was to reach out and help himself to as
many fat hens as he wanted. He ate and ate and ate, all in his dream,
you know, and when he could eat no more he started for home. When he
started for home the fat hens that were left started along with him. He
led a procession of fat hens straight over to his home in the Old
Pasture.
Just imagine how Reddy felt when at last he awoke and there was not so
much as a feather from a fat hen anywhere about, while his stomach
fairly ached with emptiness.
CHAPTER XXIX
REDDY TRIES TO AROUSE BLACKY'S PITY
Trust a Fox only as far as you can see him, and lock the
chickens up before you do that.
_Bowser the Hound._
All the next night, as Reddy Fox hunted and hunted for something to eat,
he kept thinking of that dream of fat hens, and he kept wondering how he
could get Blacky the Crow to tell him just where that farm with fat hens
was. Blacky on his part had spent a whole day wondering how he could
induce Reddy Fox to make that long journey over to where Bowser the
Hound was a prisoner of kindness. Blacky was smart enough to know that
if he seemed too anxious for Reddy to make that long journey, Reddy
would at once suspect something. He knew well enough that if Reddy had
any idea that Bowser the Hound was over there, nothing would tempt him
to make the trip.
Early the next morning, just as on the morning before, Blacky stopped
over by Reddy's house. This time Reddy was already home. Actually he was
waiting for Blacky, though he wouldn't have had Blacky know it for the
world. As soon as he saw Blacky coming, he lay down on his doorstep and
pretended not to see Blacky at all.
"Good morning, Reddy," said Blacky, as he alighted in the top of a
little tree close by.
Reddy raised his head as if it were all he could do to lift it. "Good
morning, Blacky," said he in a feeble voice.
Blacky looked at him sharply. "What's the matter, Reddy?" he demanded.
"You seem to be feeling badly."
Reddy sighed. It was a long, doleful sigh. "I am feeling badly, Blacky,"
said he. "I never felt worse in my life. The truth is I--I--I--" Reddy
paused.
"You what?" demanded Blacky, looking at Reddy more sharply than ever.
"I am starving," said Reddy very feebly. "I certainly shall starve to
death unless I can find some way of getting at least one good meal soon.
You have no idea, Blacky, how dreadful it is to be hungry all the time."
Again Reddy sighed, and followed this with a second sigh and then a
third sigh.
Blacky looked behind him so that Reddy might not see the twinkle in his
eyes. For Blacky understood perfectly what Reddy was trying to do. Reddy
wasn't fooling him a bit. When he looked back at Reddy he was very
grave. He was doing his best to look very sympathetic.
"I'm right sorry to hear this, Reddy," said he. "I certainly am. I've
been hungry myself more than once. It seems a pity that you should be
starving here when over on that farm I told you about yesterday are fat
hens to be had for the taking. If you were not so weak, I would be
tempted to show you where they are."
CHAPTER XXX
BLACKY THE CROW IS ALL PITY
People who think that they are fooling others very often
discover that they have been fooling themselves.
_Bowser the Hound._
To have seen and heard Blacky the Crow as he talked to Reddy Fox, you
would have thought that there was nothing under the sun in his heart or
mind but pity. "Yes, Sir," said he, "I certainly would be tempted to
show you where those fat hens are if you were not too weak. I just can't
bear to see an old friend starve. It is too bad that those fat hens are
so far away. I feel sure that one of them would make you quite yourself
again."
"Don't--don't talk about them," said Reddy feebly. "If I could have just
one fat hen that is all I would ask. Are they so very far from here?"
Blacky nodded his head vigorously. "Yes," said he, "they are a long way
from here. They are such a long way that I'm afraid you are too weak to
make the journey. If you were quite yourself you could do it nicely, but
for one in your condition it is, I fear, altogether too long a journey."
"It wouldn't do any harm to try it, perhaps," suggested Reddy, in a
hesitating way. "It is no worse to starve to death in one place than
another, and I never was one to give up without trying. If you don't
mind showing me the way, Brother Blacky, I would at least like to try to
reach that place where the fat hens are. Of course I cannot keep up with
you. In fact, I couldn't if I were feeling well and strong. Perhaps you
can tell me just how to find that place, and then I needn't bother you
at all."
Blacky pretended to be lost in thought while Reddy watched him
anxiously. Finally Blacky spoke. "It certainly makes my heart ache to
see you in such a condition, Brother Reddy," said he. "I tell you what
I'll do. You know Crows are famous for flying in a straight line when we
want to get to any place in particular. I will fly straight towards that
farm where the fat hens are. You follow along as best you can. In your
feeble condition it will take you a long time to get anywhere near
there. This will give me time to go hunt for my own dinner, and then I
will come back until I meet you. After that, I will show you the way.
Now I will start along and you follow."
Reddy got to his feet as if it were hard work. Then Blacky spread his
wings and started off, cawing encouragement. All the time inside he was
laughing to think that Reddy Fox should think he had fooled him. "He
forgot to ask again if there is a dog there," chuckled Blacky to
himself.
As for Reddy, no sooner was Blacky well on his way than he started off
at his swiftest pace. There was nothing weak or feeble in the way Reddy
ran then. He was in a hurry to get to those fat hens.
CHAPTER XXXI
BLACKY IS MUCH PLEASED WITH HIMSELF
You cannot tell from a single feather what a bird looks like,
nor from a lone hair how big a dog is.
_Bowser the Hound._
Straight away towards the farm where Bowser the Hound was flew Blacky
the Crow. Every few minutes he would caw encouragement to Reddy Fox,
who, as you know, was following, but who of course could not travel as
fast as did Blacky. In between times Blacky would chuckle to himself. He
was mightily pleased with himself, was Blacky.
In the first place his plan was working beautifully. You know what he
was after was to get Reddy Fox over to that farm where Bowser was. He
hoped that if Reddy should catch one of those fat hens, the farmer would
put Bowser on Reddy's trail. He knew that Reddy would probably return
straight home, and Bowser, following Reddy's trail, would thus find his
way back home to Farmer Brown's. Of course, it all depended on whether
Reddy would catch one of those fat hens and whether Bowser would be
allowed to hunt him. Blacky had a plan for making sure that if Reddy did
get one of those hens the folks in the farmhouse would know it.
But what tickled Blacky most the knowledge that Reddy Fox thought he was
fooling Blacky. You remember that Reddy had pretended to be very weak.
Blacky knew that Reddy was nothing of the kind. At the very first
opportunity Blacky stopped in the top of a tall tree as if to rest. His
real reason for stopping was to have a chance to look back. You see,
while he was flying he couldn't look behind him.
Presently, just as he expected, he saw in the distance a little red
speck, and that little red speck was moving very fast indeed. There was
nothing weak or feeble in the way that red speck was coming across the
snow-covered fields. Blacky chuckled hoarsely.
Nearer and nearer came the red speck, and of course the nearer it came
the larger it grew. Presently it stopped moving fast. It began to move
slowly and stop every once in a while, as if to rest. Blacky laughed
right out. He knew then that Reddy Fox had discovered him sitting in the
top of that tall tree and was once more pretending. It was a sort of a
game, a game that Blacky thoroughly enjoyed.
As soon as he knew that Reddy had discovered him, he once more spread
his black wings and started on. The same thing happened over again. In
fact, Blacky did not fly far this time before once more waiting. It was
great fun to see Reddy suddenly pretend that he was too weak to run. It
was such fun that Blacky quite forgot that he had had no breakfast.
Yes, Blacky the Crow was very much pleased with himself. It looked very
much as if he would succeed in helping Bowser the Hound. This pleased
him. But it pleased him still more to know that he was fooling clever
Reddy Fox while Reddy thought he was the one who was doing the fooling.
CHAPTER XXXII
BLACKY WAITS FOR REDDY
Be wise, my friends, and do not fail
To trust a dog who wags his tail.
_Bowser the Hound._
Just before reaching the farm where the fat hens and Bowser the Hound
were, Blacky waited for Reddy Fox to catch up. It was some time before
Reddy appeared, for he wasn't traveling as fast now as when he had
started out. You see, that farm really was a very long way from the Old
Pasture where Reddy lives and Reddy had run very hard, because, you
know, he was so anxious to get one of those fat hens.
As soon as Blacky saw him he hid in the thick branches of a tall
pine-tree. Reddy didn't see him. In fact, Blacky had been so far ahead
that Reddy had lost sight of him some time before. Out of the bushes
trotted Reddy. His tongue was hanging out just a little, and he was
panting. Blacky was just about to speak when Reddy stopped. He stood as
still as if he had suddenly been frozen stiff. His sharp black ears were
cocked forward, and his head was turned just a little to one side. Reddy
was listening. He was listening for the voice of Blacky. You see, he
thought Blacky was still far ahead of him.
For several minutes Reddy stood listening with all his might, and
Blacky's sharp eyes twinkled as he looked down, watching Reddy. Suddenly
Reddy sat down. There was an expression on his sharp face which Blacky
understood perfectly. It was quite plain that Reddy was becoming
suspicious. He had begun to suspect that he had been tricked by Blacky
and led so far away from home for nothing.
Down inside Blacky chuckled. It was a noiseless chuckle, for Blacky did
not intend to give himself away until he had to. But when at last he saw
that Reddy was beginning to get uneasy, Blacky spoke. "You seem to be
feeling better, Brother Reddy," said he. "You must excuse me for
keeping you waiting, but I did not suppose that any one so weak and
feeble as you appeared to be early this morning could possibly get here
so soon."
At the sound of Blacky's voice, Reddy was so startled that he jumped
quite as if he had sat down on a prickly briar. He was sharp enough to
know that it was no longer of any use to pretend. "I'm feeling better,"
said he. "The thought of those fat hens has quite restored my strength.
Did you say that they are near here?"
"I didn't say, but--" Blacky didn't finish. He didn't need to. From the
other side of a little swamp in front of them a rooster crowed. That
was answer enough! Reddy's yellow eyes gleamed. In an instant he was on
his feet, the picture of alertness.
"Are you satisfied that I told the truth?" asked Blacky. Reddy nodded.
CHAPTER XXXIII
REDDY WATCHES THE FAT HENS
Sooner or later the crookedest trail will straighten.
_Bowser the Hound._
At the sound of that rooster's voice on the other side of the little
swamp, Reddy became a changed Fox. Could you have been sitting where you
could have seen him, as did Blacky the Crow, you never, never would have
guessed that Reddy had run a very long distance and was tired. He did
not even glance up at Blacky. He did not even say thank you to Blacky
for having shown him the way. He looked neither to the right nor to the
left, but with eyes fixed eagerly ahead, began to steal forward swiftly.
Making no sound, for Reddy can step very lightly when he chooses to, he
trotted quickly through the little swamp until he drew near the other
side. Then he crouched close to the snow-covered ground and began to
steal from bush to bush until he reached the trunk of a fallen tree on
the very edge of the swamp. To this he crawled on his stomach and peeped
around the end of it.
Everything was as Blacky the Crow had said. Not far away was a farmyard,
and walking about in it was a big rooster, lording it over a large
flock of fat hens. They were not shut in by a wire fence as were Farmer
Brown's hens. Some were taking a sun bath just in front of the barn
door. Others were scattered about, picking up bits of food which had
been thrown out for them. A few were scratching in some straw in the
cowyard. In the barn a horse stamped. From the farmhouse sounded the
voice of a woman singing. Once the door of the farmhouse opened, and an
appetizing odor floated out to tickle the nose of Reddy.
Reddy looked sharply for signs of a dog. Not one could he see. If there
was a dog, he must be either in the barn or in the house. It was quite
clear to Reddy that no Fox had bothered this flock of fat hens. He was
sorely tempted to rush out and grab one of them at once, but he didn't.
He was far too clever to do anything like that until he was absolutely
sure that it would be safe.
So Reddy lay flat behind the old tree trunk, with just his nose and his
eyes showing around the end of it, and studied what would be best to do.
He was sure that he could get one of those fat hens, but he wanted more.
Early that morning Reddy would have been quite contented with one, but
now that he was sure that he could get one, he wanted more. If he were
too bold and frightened those hens while catching one, they would make
such a racket that they would be sure to bring some one from the
farmhouse. The thing to do was to be patient until he could catch one
without alarming the others. Then perhaps he would be able to catch
another. Reddy decided to be patient and wait.
CHAPTER XXXIV
PATIENCE AND IMPATIENCE
Patience is a virtue
In a cause that's right.
In a cause that isn't,
It's a cause for fright.
_Bowser the Hound._
One of the first things that the little people of the Green Forest and
the Green Meadows who hunt other little people learn is patience.
Sometimes it takes a long time to learn this, but it is a necessary
lesson. Reddy Fox had learned it. Reddy knew that often even his
cleverness would not succeed without patience. When he was young he had
lost many a good meal through impatience.
Reddy could not remember when he had been more hungry than he was now.
Lying there behind the fallen tree, watching the fat hens walking about
unsuspectingly just a little way from him, it seemed to him that he
simply must rush out and catch one of them. But Reddy was smart enough
to know that if he did this there would at once be such a screaming and
squawking that some one would be sure to rush out from the farmhouse to
find out what was going on. If he were discovered, there would be small
chance for him to get another fat hen. Reddy is keen enough to make the
most of an opportunity. He knew that if he could get one of these hens
without frightening the others, he would have a chance to get another.
He might have a chance to get several in this way.
So, though he was so eager and so hungry, he made himself keep perfectly
still, while he studied out a plan. By and by he stole ever so carefully
around back of the barn to the cowyard. Some of those fat hens were
scratching in the straw of the cowyard. Just outside the cowyard was a
pile of old boards. Reddy crawled behind this pile of old boards and
then crouched and settled himself to be patient. He knew that sooner or
later one of those fat hens would be likely to come out of the cowyard.
In this way he might be able to catch one without the others knowing a
thing about it.
Blacky the Crow sat in the top of a tall tree where he could see all
that was going on. Blacky was as impatient as Reddy was patient. "Why
doesn't the red rascal rush in and get one of those fat hens?" muttered
Blacky. "What is the matter with him, anyway? I wonder if he is afraid.
He could catch one of them without half trying, and there he lies as if
he expected them to run right into his mouth. I don't want to sit here
all day. Yet I can't do a thing until he catches one of those hens."
So Reddy waited patiently and Blacky waited impatiently, and the fat
hens wandered about unsuspectingly, and for a long, long time nothing
happened.
CHAPTER XXXV
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?
CHAPTER XXXVI
REDDY HIDES THE FAT HEN
Dishonesty will run away
Where Honesty will boldly stay.
_Bowser the Hound._
Reddy Fox was in a fix! He certainly was in a fix! Here he was with the
fat hen which he had come such a long, long way to get, and no chance to
eat it, for Bowser the Hound was on his trail. Ordinarily Reddy Fox can
run faster than can Bowser, but it is one thing to run with nothing to
carry, and another thing altogether to with a burden as heavy as a fat
hen. Reddy's wits were working quite as fast as his legs.
"I can't carry this fat hen far," thought Reddy, "for Bowser will surely
catch me. I don't want to drop it, because I have come such a long way
to get it, and goodness knows when I will be able to catch another. The
thing for me to do is to hide it where I can come back and get it after
I get rid of that pesky dog. Goodness, what a noise he makes!"
As he ran, Reddy watched sharply this way and that way for a place to
hide the fat hen. He knew he must find a place soon, because already
that fat hen was growing very heavy. Presently he spied the hollow stump
of a tree. He didn't know it was hollow when he first saw it, but from
its looks he thought it might be. The top of it was only about two feet
above the ground. Reddy stopped and stood up on his hind legs so as to
see if the top of that stump was hollow. It was. With a quick look this
way and that way to make sure he wasn't seen, he tossed the fat hen over
into the hollow and then, with a sigh of relief, darted away.
With the weight of that fat hen off his shoulders, and the worry about
it off his mind, Reddy could give all his attention to getting rid of
Bowser the Hound. He had no intention of running any farther than he
must. In the first place he had traveled so far that he did not feel
like running. In the second place he wanted to get back to that hollow
stump and the fat hen just as soon as possible.
It wasn't long before Reddy realized that it was not going to be so easy
to fool Bowser the Hound. Bowser was too wise to be fooled by common
tricks such as breaking the trail by jumping far to one side after
running back on his own tracks a little way; or by running along a
fallen tree and jumping from the end of it as far as he could. Of course
he tried these tricks, but each time Bowser simply made a big circle
with his nose to the ground and picked up Reddy's new trail.
Reddy didn't know that country about there at all, and little by little
he began to realize how much this meant. At home he knew every foot of
the ground for a long distance in every direction. This made all the
difference in the world, because he knew just how to play all kinds of
tricks. But here it was different. It seemed to him that all he could do
was to run and run.
CHAPTER XXXVII
FARMER BROWN'S BOY HAS A GLAD SURPRISE
The sweetest sound in the world is the voice of one you love.
_Bowser the Hound._
Farmer Brown's boy had an errand which took him far from home. He
harnessed the horse to a sleigh and started off right after dinner. Now
it happened that his errand took him in the direction of the farm where
Bowser the Hound had been taken such good care of, and where Reddy Fox
had that very day caught the fat hen. Farmer Brown's boy was not
thinking of Bowser. You see, he had already visited most of the farms in
that direction in his search for Bowser and had found no trace of him.
It was a beautiful day to be sleighing, and Farmer Brown's boy was
whistling merrily, for there is nothing he enjoys more than a sleigh
ride. He had almost reached the place he had started for when 'way off
across the fields to his right he heard a dog. Now Farmer Brown's boy
enjoys listening to the sound of a Hound chasing a Fox. There is
something about it which stirs the blood. He stopped whistling and
stopped the horse in order that he might listen better.