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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
THE ADVENTURES OF
REDDY FOX
BY THORNTON W。 BURGESS
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
I。 Granny Fox Gives Reddy a Scare
Reddy Fox lived with Granny Fox。 You see； Reddy was one of a large
family； so large that Mother Fox had hard work to feed so many hungry
little mouths and so she had let Reddy go to live with old Granny Fox。
Granny Fox was the wisest； slyest； smartest fox in all the country round；
and now that Reddy had grown so big； she thought it about time that he
began to learn the things that every fox should know。 So every day she
took him hunting with her and taught him all the things that she had
learned about hunting： about how to steal Farmer Brown's chickens
without awakening Bowser the Hound； and all about the thousand and one
ways of fooling a dog which she had learned。
This morning Granny Fox had taken Reddy across the Green
Meadows； up through the Green Forest； and over to the railroad track。
Reddy had never been there before and he didn't know just what to make
of it。 Granny trotted ahead until they came to a long bridge。 Then she
stopped。
〃Come here； Reddy； and look down；〃 she commanded。
Reddy did as he was told； but a glance down made him giddy； so giddy
that he nearly fell。 Granny Fox grinned。
〃Come across；〃 said she； and ran lightly across to the other side。
But Reddy Fox was afraid。 Yes； Sir； he was afraid to take one step on
the long bridge。 He was afraid that he would fall through into the water or
onto the cruel rocks below。 Granny Fox ran back to where Reddy sat。
〃For shame； Reddy Fox！〃 said she。 〃What are you afraid of？ Just don't
look down and you will be safe enough。 Now come along over with me。〃
But Reddy Fox hung back and begged to go home and whimpered。
Suddenly Granny Fox sprang to her feet； as if in great fright。 〃Bowser the
Hound！ Come； Reddy； come！〃 she cried； and started across the bridge as
fast as she could go。
Reddy didn't stop to look or to think。 His one idea was to get away
from Bowser the Hound。 〃Wait； Granny！ Wait！〃 he cried； and started after
her as fast as he could run。 He was in the middle of the bridge before he
remembered it at all。 When he was at last safely across； it was to find old
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
Granny Fox sitting down laughing at him。 Then for the first time Reddy
looked behind him to see where Bowser the Hound might be。 He was
nowhere to be seen。 Could he have fallen off the bridge？
〃Where is Bowser the Hound？〃 cried Reddy。
〃Home in Farmer Brown's dooryard；〃 replied Granny Fox dryly。
Reddy stared at her for a minute。 Then he began to understand that Granny
Fox had simply scared him into running across the bridge。 Reddy felt very
cheap； very cheap indeed。 〃Now we'll run back again；〃 said Granny Fox。
And this time Reddy did。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
II。 Granny Shows Reddy a Trick
Every day Granny Fox led Reddy Fox over to the long railroad bridge
and made him run back and forth across it until he had no fear of it
whatever。 At first it had made him dizzy； but now he could run across at
the top of his speed and not mind it in the least。 〃I don't see what good it
does to be able to run across a bridge； anyone can do that！〃 exclaimed
Reddy one day。
Granny Fox smiled。 〃Do you remember the first time you tried to do
it？〃 she asked。
Reddy hung his head。 Of course he rememberedremembered that
Granny had had to scare him into crossing that first time。
Suddenly Granny Fox lifted her head。 〃Hark！〃 she exclaimed。
Reddy pricked up his sharp； pointed ears。 Way off back； in the
direction from which they had come； they heard the baying of a dog。 It
wasn't the voice of Bowser the Hound but of a younger dog。 Granny
listened for a few minutes。 The voice of the dog grew louder as it drew
nearer。
〃He certainly is following our track；〃 said Granny Fox。 〃Now； Reddy；
you run across the bridge and watch from the top of the little hill over
there。 Perhaps I can show you a trick that will teach you why I have made
you learn to run across the bridge。〃
Reddy trotted across the long bridge and up to the top of the hill； as
Granny had told him to。 Then he sat down to watch。 Granny trotted out in
the middle of a field and sat down。 Pretty soon a young hound broke out of
the bushes； his nose in Granny's track。 Then he looked up and saw her； and
his voice grew still more savage and eager。 Granny Fox started to run as
soon as she was sure that the hound had seen her； but she did not run very
fast。 Reddy did not know what to make of it； for Granny seemed simply to
be playing with the hound and not really trying to get away from him at all。
Pretty soon Reddy heard another sound。 It was a long； low rumble。 Then
there was a distant whistle。 It was a train。
Granny heard it； too。 As she ran； she began to work back toward the
long bridge。 The train was in sight now。 Suddenly Granny Fox started
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
across the bridge so fast that she looked like a little red streak。 The dog
was close at her heels when she started and he was so eager to catch her
that he didn't see either the bridge or the train。 But he couldn't begin to run
as fast as Granny Fox。 Oh； my； no！ When she had reached the other side；
he wasn't halfway across； and right behind him； whistling for him to get
out of the way； was the train。
The hound gave one frightened yelp； and then he did the only thing he
could do； he leaped down； down into the swift water below； and the last
Reddy saw of him he was frantically trying to swim ashore。
〃Now you know why I wanted you to learn to cross a bridge； it's a
very nice way of getting rid of dogs；〃 said Granny Fox； as she climbed up
beside Reddy。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
III。 Bowser the Hound Isn't Fooled
Reddy Fox had been taught so much by Granny Fox that he began to
feel very wise and very important。 Reddy is naturally smart and he had
been very quick to learn the tricks that old Granny Fox had taught him。
But Reddy Fox is a boaster。 Every day he swaggered about on the Green
Meadows and bragged how smart he was。 Blacky the Crow grew tired of
Reddy's boasting。
〃If you're so smart； what is the reason you always keep out of sight of
Bowser the Hound？〃 asked Blacky。 〃For my part； I don't believe that you
are smart enough to fool him。〃
A lot of little meadow people heard Blacky say this； and Reddy knew
it。 He also knew that if he didn't prove Blacky in the wrong he would be
laughed at forever after。 Suddenly he remembered the trick that Granny
Fox had played on the young hound at the railroad bridge。 Why not play
the same trick on Bowser and invite Blacky the Crow to see him do it？ He
would。
〃If you will be over at the railroad bridge when the train comes this
afternoon； I'll show you how easy it is to fool Bowser the Hound；〃 said
Reddy。
Blacky agreed to be there； and Reddy started off to find out where
Bowser was。 Blacky told everyone he met how Reddy Fox had promised
to fool Bowser the Hound； and every time he told it he chuckled as if he
thought it the best joke ever。
Blacky the Crow was on hand promptly that afternoon and with him
came his cousin； Sammy Jay。 Presently they saw Reddy Fox hurrying
across the fields； and behind him in full cry came Bowser the Hound。 Just
as old Granny Fox had done with the young hound； Reddy allowed
Bowser to get very near him and then； as the train came roaring along； he
raced across the long bridge just ahead of it。 He had thought that Bowser
would be so intent on catching him that he would not notice the train until
he was on the bridge and