Part 2

“Bring me a stone, Slyboots,” she cried. Carefully placing part of the trap on the front doorstep, she hit the old spring several hard blows. Crack! it went, and the trap fell apart. Danny Fox pulled out his foot without any trouble at all.

“There, you’re free,” said Mrs. Fox, laying down the stone. “I hope next time you’ll be more careful where you put your feet.”

Danny Fox didn’t reply. He was too busy rubbing his sore ankle, while the two little foxes hugged him, delighted at seeing him out of danger.

Presently Mrs. Fox found some salve to rub on his foot. She felt sorry for Daddy, you may be sure. It was only in kindness she had said she hoped he would be more careful next time where he put his feet.

“But what have we got to eat?” sighed poor tired Danny Fox.

“You were gone so long, Daddy,” answered Mrs. Fox, with a laugh, “that I went out on a little hunt all by myself. Wait, and I’ll show you what I brought home.”

In a minute she came back from the kitchen with a plump young chicken. “This is what I found,” she said. “It was a naughty chicken to roost in a tree instead of going to bed in the Henhouse. But it’s lucky for us.”

“Where did you go?” asked Danny Fox, curiously.

“Back of the Old Mill,” answered Mrs. Fox. “I think it’s one of the chickens belonging to the Miller’s Boy. He takes very poor care of them. Perhaps we may be able to get another.”

In a little while supper was ready and the Fox family sat down to the table, happy and contented now that Daddy Fox was home safe and sound.

TEDDY TURTLE

A turtle goes much slower Than an old sea-going hack. He never has to hurry home For his house is on his back,

sang Bobbie Redvest as Little Jack Rabbit hopped down the Old Cow Path in the Sunny Meadow.

“I wonder what I’ll do to-day?” the little bunny asked himself, when all of a sudden, along came Teddy Turtle with his little shell bungalow on his back, for Teddy Turtle always carries it with him, rain or shine, anywhere and everywhere. Yes, sir, that little turtle is very lucky; he never is forced to move out on the first of May, nor is there any unkind landlord to bother him.

“Where are you going?” asked the little rabbit.

“Down to the Old Duck Pond. Come along. We’ll make a call on Granddaddy Bullfrog.”

“Very well,” answered the little rabbit, “I’ve nothing to do this morning. I’ll come along.”

Then off they started, Teddy Turtle crawling slowly down the path, and Little Jack Rabbit hopping along, now and then sitting down to wait for the little turtle to catch up to him. By and by, Little Jack Rabbit said:

“Don’t you ever get tired carrying your house about with you? You’re just like a moving van.”

“Oh, I’m used to it,” answered Teddy Turtle. “When I go out in the morning I don’t have to worry about getting back to the house by supper time.”

“Ha, ha!” laughed the little rabbit. “Your head sticks out of the front door and your tail through the kitchen door!”

But, Oh dear me. He was so taken up with the little turtle that he didn’t notice a big, black shadow on the path. But Teddy Turtle did. Oh, my yes!

“Look out!” he shouted, “here comes Hungry Hawk!” And he pulled his head in through the front door and his tail in through the back door, and all you could see was a little shell house on the meadow grass.

And the little rabbit? He hopped into a hollow stump so quickly that Hungry Hawk had to knock three times before Teddy Turtle dared to squint out of his little shell house.

Pretty soon Hungry Hawk rapped again on the old hollow stump.

Rat-a-tat-tat! went Hungry Hawk On the door of the Hollow Stump. The Bunny Boy’s heart beat pitter pat, And his knees went bumpity, bump!

HUNGRY HAWK

“I didn’t mean any harm. I just flew down from the blue sky to say ‘Howdy!’” said Hungry Hawk in a low voice.

Little Jack Rabbit was too out of breath to speak. And, anyway, he was too busy thinking how he was ever to get out, for there stood that old robber bird close by, ready to pounce on him at any moment.

“I don’t believe you,” at last answered the little rabbit. “And I’m not coming out while you’re around.”

Hungry Hawk made no reply, but sat down and preened his feathers. By and by who should come along but Danny Fox.

“Hello, Hungry Hawk, what are you doing?”

“Howdy, Danny Fox, what are _you_ doing?” replied the old bird.

“Oh, just taking a walk,” answered Danny Fox, squinting into the opening in the old hollow tree. “I don’t see anything, but I smell rabbit.”

“Well, that’s as far as you’ll get,” answered Hungry Hawk. “I’m going to pull that little rabbit out of that tree and eat him, and I’m not inviting anybody to dine with me, either.”

Now this made Danny Fox very angry, but he only grinned and said: “You’ll never get him out unless I help you.”

“How’s that?” inquired Hungry Hawk.

“Because,” answered Danny Fox, with a bigger grin than ever, “I’ll eat Hawk first and Rabbit after,” and he made a jump for the old bird, catching him by the tail.

My goodness, how the fur and feathers flew! Yes, siree! It certainly was some fight.

At first Danny Fox was on top. Pretty soon Hungry Hawk squirmed away and dug his sharp claws into Danny Fox’s fur overcoat. But Danny Fox never let go of the old hawk’s tail.

After a while Hungry Hawk said: “Suppose we stop and talk it over.” So they let go of each other and sat down. Hungry Hawk was pretty well mussed up and Danny Fox’s hair looked as if it had been combed the wrong way.

“I’ll help you get the little rabbit if you’ll let me help you eat him,” said Danny Fox.

“All right,” agreed the old hawk, “but how shall we get him out of the tree?”

“I’m going to smoke him out,” answered Danny Fox. “You wait here while I run home and get my pipe. I’ll puff tobacco smoke into that hollow tree until that little rabbit either hops out or chokes to death.”

THE ESCAPE

“Hurry up,” said Hungry Hawk. “I’ll keep watch while you’re gone.”

“Well, there goes one old robber,” thought the little rabbit. “Now, if I could only get rid of the other,” and he wiggled his pink nose and scratched his ear; pretty soon he thought of a way.

“Mr. Hawk, if you and Danny Fox will let me go, I’ll tell you something.” (You see, the little rabbit was pretending he didn’t know that the old fox had gone after the pipe.)

“What is it?” asked Hungry Hawk.

“There’s a nice fat squirrel in this tree,” answered the little rabbit. “I’ll drive him out of the back door if you’ll promise to let me go.”

“All right,” replied Hungry Hawk; “but wait a minute till I talk it over with Danny Fox,” and he made believe he was whispering to that old robber.

“Drive out the squirrel; we’ll let you go,” said Hungry Hawk.

Then Little Jack Rabbit made enough racket to drive out an elephant. “I’ve pushed him half through the back door,” he shouted, “but I can’t shove him any farther. Come around and pull him out.”

Hungry Hawk ran around to the back of the tree. Quicker than a wink Little Jack Rabbit hopped through the front door, over the Sunny Meadow, lipperty-clip, clipperty-lip, straight for the Old Bramble Patch.

And maybe Danny Fox wasn’t angry when he got back to the hollow tree with his big corncob pipe and tobacco pouch!

“You silly old bird, to let a little rabbit fool you,” he cried when Hungry Hawk told him what had happened.

Then he lighted his pipe and sat down to have a smoke.

“Next time I’ll do my rabbit hunting alone,” he growled.

“And so will I,” said Hungry Hawk, spreading his wings and flying away.

THE POPCORN PARTY

Danny Fox couldn’t forget how he and Hungry Hawk had been fooled by Little Jack Rabbit. The more he thought about it, the angrier he grew. To think that a little bunny had got the better of them! Well, well, well! It certainly was enough to make any fox mad.

“I’ll get him yet,” said Danny Fox. “I’ll catch him if it takes a year and a day!”

And the old fox meant what he said, for he was having a hard time of it nowadays. The Big Farmer kept close watch and locked his chickens in the Henhouse every night. Besides, Danny Fox hadn’t forgotten about the steel trap. He was afraid to venture again in the Farm Yard--there might be another trap hidden somewhere.

One day he had a bright idea. There was a little log cabin in the Shady Forest. It had a nice door and three windows, a chimney of red brick, and a big fireplace. It was empty--nobody had lived in it for some time. He would give a popcorn party, and invite Little Jack Rabbit.

That very evening he sent out invitations to Chippy Chipmunk, Squirrel Nutcracker, Busy Beaver and Peter Possum. Everybody was asked to come to the Popcorn Party.

At first Little Jack Rabbit was afraid to accept, but when he found that everyone was invited, he persuaded himself that Danny Fox was just trying to be friendly. At the same time he made up his mind to keep both eyes wide open, for after all there was no telling what that old fox might do. No indeed!

At last the day for the party arrived, and the little Log Cabin was filled to overflowing. After the corn was popped the fire was allowed to die down, and everybody sat around and had a feast.

But, oh dear me! All of a sudden, without any warning, Danny Fox made a jump for the little rabbit. And, oh dear me again! What a commotion there was. Out of the windows and through the door went the Shady Forest Folk--all but Little Jack Rabbit. He jumped up the chimney, and not a wink too soon, either, for Danny Fox landed right on the spot where he had been sitting.

“Now I’ve got you,” cried that wicked old robber, sitting down on the hearth.

He didn’t care if the ashes got all over his beautiful long bushy tail. No indeed. He didn’t care about that. All he thought of was how to catch poor Little Jack Rabbit.

A TIGHT PLACE

Little Jack Rabbit certainly was in a fix. Here he was up in the chimney with Danny Fox waiting for him down below. If there had only been a ladder inside that chimney he could have climbed up to the top. But there wasn’t, so all he could do was to sit on the little ledge of bricks that extended around the inside a few feet above the hearth.

At last Danny Fox said, “You might just as well come down. If you don’t, I’ll build a fire and smoke you out.”

“Where will you get the wood?” asked the little rabbit.

“I don’t need any. I’ll burn up the popcorn box.”

This made the little rabbit dreadfully nervous. Yes, indeed.

“Are you coming down?” asked Danny Fox, with a growl.

“I don’t know,” answered the poor, anxious little rabbit. “Give me time to think it over, won’t you?”

“If you take much longer,” answered Danny Fox with a cruel laugh, “I’ll light a fire. That’ll make you think mighty quick, my pretty one.”

“I’m afraid I’ll slip,” said the little rabbit, trying to gain time.

“I’ll help you down,” answered Danny Fox, politely.

“You’ll burn your feet in the hot ashes,” said Little Jack Rabbit.

“I’ll sweep ’em out,” answered Danny Fox, picking up the hearth shovel and broom.

“The bricks are still hot,” went on the little rabbit.

“No, they aren’t,” answered the old fox, stepping inside the fireplace, “they’re only warm; they don’t burn my toes a bit.”

“Well, then,” sighed poor Little Jack Rabbit, “I may as well come down.”

“Come on,” said Danny Fox with a wicked grin.

“It’s pretty high up. Come and help me,” said the little rabbit.

Danny Fox walked into the fireplace and stood up on his hind legs. His head came ’way up into the chimney and the soot blinded his eyes. Before he knew what was going to happen, the little rabbit picked up a loose brick and hit him a dreadful hard blow on the head. Down tumbled the wicked old fox and down jumped the little rabbit and out of the Log Cabin, straight away for the dear Old Bramble Patch.

It took Mrs. Rabbit nearly an hour to clean the soot from his little fur jacket. But she didn’t grumble. No indeed! She was only too glad to have her precious bunny boy safe home again.

“NOW I’VE GOT YOU!”

One day Teddy Turtle had a narrow escape from Danny Fox. He was slowly crawling down the Cow Path in the Sunny Meadow when whom should he meet but that old robber. Danny Fox seemed much surprised, but that was only because he was trying to fool the little turtle. You see, Danny Fox had been hiding all the time behind a bush and only came out just when Teddy Turtle crawled by.

“Good morning,” said Danny Fox, with a grin.

“Good morning,” replied Teddy Turtle from inside his little shell house, for as soon as he had seen Danny Fox he had pulled in his head and tail for safe keeping.

“Where are you?” asked Danny Fox. “I don’t see you; I only see your shell house.”

“Well, I’m looking out of the window,” answered Teddy Turtle. But he didn’t put his head out very far, let me tell you.

Danny Fox stood very close, but he didn’t touch Mr. Teddy Turtle. Oh, my, no! There wasn’t any use, for Teddy was safe inside his hard shell house and Danny Fox knew he couldn’t pull him out.

Pretty soon the old robber fox said, “Let’s go down to the Old Duck Pond.”

Now that was just where Teddy Turtle wanted to go, but he didn’t want to go with Danny Fox. So he said instead, “I’ll stay here a while and rest. I’m all tired out.”

Now this was just what Danny Fox didn’t want to do, for as long as Teddy Turtle stood still he could keep his head and tail inside his shell, but as soon as he began to walk he had to poke out his head to see where he was going, and stick his tail out behind to steer himself.

“Oh, come along,” said Danny Fox, “you don’t want to stay here in the path. Mrs. Cow may come along and step on you,” and the sly old fox took a little bell out of his pocket and gave it a ting-a-ling. It sounded just like the bell on Mrs. Cow’s collar.

Teddy Turtle poked out his head and tail and started to crawl away, but, quick as a wink, Danny Fox grabbed him by the tail.

“Now I’ve got you! Now I’ve got you!” shouted that wicked old robber.

“Let me go! Let me go!” cried Teddy Turtle. But Danny Fox wouldn’t. He held on as tight as he could. He wouldn’t have let go for anything, for that was the only way he could pull Teddy Turtle along, and he wanted to take him home for supper.

Turtle soup is very fine, But, when you sit down to dine, Don’t forget, dear girls and boys, With your spoon to make no noise.

A LUCKY WIGGLE

It isn’t very pleasant to be dragged by your tail over bumps and stones, especially by such a person as Danny Fox. Teddy Turtle didn’t know what Danny Fox meant to do with him. If he had he would have been frightened to death.

You see, Danny Fox was hungry. Yes, siree, he was as hungry as three bears. He couldn’t get a chicken because the Henhouse door was locked and bolted. He couldn’t catch Little Jack Rabbit, for the little bunny was too bright for him. So there was nothing for him to do but take Teddy Turtle home with him. Mrs. Fox knew how to make Mock Turtle Soup, and that was better than nothing!

Now all this time Teddy Turtle was thinking mighty hard how to get away. Yes, sir, he was scheming how to get his tail inside his shell house once more.

As they came to the Old Duck Pond he said, “Dip me in the water, or I shall die of thirst!”

Of course Danny Fox didn’t want him to die right away, so he leaned over the bank and lowered Teddy Turtle into the water. But he put him in only a little bit of a way.

“Put me in deeper,” said Teddy Turtle, as Danny Fox was about to pull him out, “I only got a little swallow.”

So the old fox leaned ’way over the bank and dipped the little turtle ’way in till you couldn’t see him at all.

Then, of course, his tail got wet, and pretty soon it got so slippery that Danny Fox had to use both paws. And then the first thing Danny Fox knew the little turtle gave a wiggle and a jiggle and pulled his tail away, and with a splash that wet the old fox all over, he dived down to the bottom of the pond, where he was safe at home in the soft mud.

Danny Fox gave a snarl of disappointment, but the little turtle didn’t hear him; but he blew up a few bubbles to tease the hungry old robber.

“I don’t believe he’d have made good soup, anyway,” growled Danny Fox, wiping his feet on the grass, for they were covered with mud. Then, after wiping his eyes and face, he trotted off to the Shady Forest.

Now as soon as Teddy Turtle reached the bottom of the Old Duck Pond, he crawled along on the soft mud until he came to a little island, up which he crawled till he was once more out of the water.

“Ha, ha,” he said to himself as he saw Danny Fox far away on the mainland, “I fooled you this time, you old robber!”

TIMMY MEADOWMOUSE

Now that the Sunny Meadow was covered with snow little Timmy Meadowmouse had a hard time of it. If he wanted to go anywhere he had to dig tunnels from his little house under the snow. Yes, sir. The Sunny Meadow was full of little subways that Timmy Meadowmouse had made.

It was pretty lonely ’way out on the meadow, so one day he started to tunnel over to the Old Bramble Patch to see Little Jack Rabbit. Besides, he wanted to eat the seeds in the little red balls that hang from the wild rose bushes in the winter time. So he set to work on his tunnel. By and by he climbed up a stiff stalk of meadowgrass and pushed his head out of the snow.

Goodness me! How Billy Breeze was blowing! As soon as Timmy Meadowmouse had wiped the snow from his eyes, he saw the Old Bramble Patch not very far away.

“It wouldn’t take a minute to run over,” he said to himself. “It’s such hard work digging through the snow.”

Now, deep down in his heart, the little meadowmouse knew it was dangerous to run out over the snow. As long as he stayed down in his tunnels he was pretty safe. But to show himself when the only way he could possibly get back to his little house was through some of the small openings in the snow was very dangerous.

Suppose Danny Fox, or Mr. Wicked Weasel, or Hungry Hawk, who are fond of fat little meadowmice, should chase him over the snow. And suppose he couldn’t get back to one of his subway entrances in time.

Timmy Meadowmouse turned all these things over in his mind, and then--yes, sir, he did--he pushed out through the snow and scampered over to the Old Bramble Patch.

But, oh dear me. He had gone only half way when up jumped Danny Fox, who had been hiding by the Old Rail Fence. He had been lying there so long that the snow had drifted over him, making him look just like a snowpile.

If Timmy Meadowmouse had only seen the old fox’s eyes through the snow. But he hadn’t. But when the old robber jumped up, the poor little mouse saw him all right.

It was too late to turn back, so with a frightened squeak, he made for the Old Bramble Patch. And just in time he ran in between the prickly stems and stalks and tumbled headlong into Little Jack Rabbit’s front door.

“Oof! oof!” growled Danny Fox, who didn’t care to push through the prickly briars, “I’ve lost a nice dinner.”

SAFE!

“Goodness me!” cried Little Jack Rabbit, as a cold blast of air and a whirl of snowflakes came through the doorway, “What can be the matter?”

“Oh, Little Jack Rabbit,” cried Timmy Meadowmouse, “I didn’t have time to knock. I hardly had time to get in, for Danny Fox chased me right up to the Old Bramble Patch.”

“Is that dreadful fox around?” asked the little bunny. “We’ll be cooped up here now for maybe a week, for I guess he’s pretty hungry if he hunts for meadowmice.”

“Oh, dear,” sighed the little meadowmouse, “I wish I’d stayed home,” and he told the little rabbit how he had tunneled through the snow until he was so tired that he had climbed up a stalk to look about him, and, seeing the Old Bramble Patch so near, had foolishly run over the snow instead of finishing his subway.

“I never saw Danny Fox by the Old Rail Fence--not until he jumped out when I was half way over. My! I thought I’d never reach the dear Old Bramble Patch!” And Timmy Meadowmouse gave a sigh of relief. “Whew! I’m all out of breath!”

“Well, you stay here and make yourself at home,” said Little Jack Rabbit. You see, he and Timmy Meadowmouse had always been good friends.

“I suppose I can dig a tunnel back to where I left off,” said Timmy Meadowmouse. “I might strike it and then again I mightn’t. It’s all right when you start out from your own house. You can always get back by just turning around. But now, goodness me! I might keep on for ever and never get home.”

“That’s right,” said Little Jack Rabbit. “You must have help. Wait until tomorrow and I’ll find a way.”

Pretty soon he went to the door and looked out. Danny Fox was nowhere to be seen. So Timmy Meadowmouse went out in the Old Bramble Patch and picked a red berry from a wild rose bush. Then he hurried back, for it was very cold and Billy Breeze was whirling a cloud of snow over the Sunny Meadow.

TIMMY MEADOWMOUSE HAS A DREAM

After bolting the front door, Little Jack Rabbit took Timmy Meadowmouse into the kitchen where Mrs. John Rabbit was paring carrots for supper. It was nice and warm, and Mrs. Rabbit looked so motherly in her big pink gingham apron that the little meadowmouse couldn’t help saying to the little rabbit, “I think your mother’s too sweet for anything.”

Although he said it in a whisper, Mrs. Rabbit heard him just the same. She must have, for she leaned right down and gave him a little piece of carrot.

By and by the kitchen door flew open and in hopped Mr. John Rabbit and Brother Bobby Tail. They couldn’t speak for a few minutes they were so out of breath. At last Mr. Rabbit said, “Danny Fox chased us all the way home!”

Mrs. Rabbit nearly dropped the dish of carrots on the nice clean floor.

“Mercy me! It was only about two hours ago he chased Timmy Meadowmouse into the Old Bramble Patch. My! but that old fox must be hungry!”

“I guess he is,” replied Mr. Rabbit, hanging his fur cap on a peg behind the door. Then he began to sing:

“The chickens they stay In the Henhouse all day; And the bunnies don’t go Very far in the snow.

“Mr. Fox, you can’t snatch From the Old Bramble Patch A bunny or mouse. We’re safe in the house;

“We’ve fastened the latch On our Old Bramble Patch!”

That night Timmy Meadowmouse had a dreadful dream about Danny Fox. You see, he couldn’t forget how that old robber had nearly caught him. As long as he was awake, he knew he was perfectly safe in Little Jack Rabbit’s house. But when he dropped off to sleep he didn’t dream about being safe in the Old Bramble Patch. Oh, my, no! He dreamed that Danny Fox was still chasing him, which, of course, was simply dreadful.

All of a sudden, he rolled out of bed with a scream, which woke up the whole Rabbit Family. Yes, it even gave Mr. John Rabbit a shiver, and poor Mrs. Rabbit nearly fainted.

By and by, however, they all went to sleep again, and everything was quiet until morning, when Cocky Doodle over at the Big Farmyard woke them up with his early Cock-a-doodle-do.

After breakfast Little Jack Rabbit and Timmy Meadowmouse hopped over to the edge of the Old Bramble Patch, where they cautiously peeped through the tangled stalks to see if Danny Fox were around. But he was nowhere in sight.

THE TUNNEL

“I don’t see him anywhere,” whispered Timmy Meadowmouse.

“That doesn’t prove anything,” replied Little Jack Rabbit. “He may be hiding some place where we can’t see him.”

“Don’t you think I might run over the Sunny Meadow and look for the entrance to my tunnel?”

“No sir-e-e!” answered the little rabbit. “Suppose Danny Fox waited until you had gone quite a way and then ran in between you and the Old Bramble Patch. What would you do then?”

“Oh, don’t talk about it,” replied the little meadowmouse with a shiver. “But how am I to get back to my little house?”