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would be so intent on catching him that he would not notice the train until
he was on the bridge and it was too late； as had been the case with the
young hound。 Then Bowser would have to jump down into the swift river
or be run over。 As soon as Reddy was across the bridge； he jumped off the
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
track and turned to see what would happen to Bowser the Hound。 The
train was halfway across the bridge； but Bowser was nowhere to be seen。
He must have jumped already。 Reddy sat down and grinned in the most
self…satisfied way。
The long train roared past； and Reddy closed his eyes to shut out the
dust and smoke。 When he opened them again； he looked right into the
wide…open mouth of Bowser the Hound； who was not ten feet away。
〃Did you think you could fool me with that old trick？〃 roared Bowser。
Reddy didn't stop to make reply； he just started off at the top of his
speed； a badly frightened little fox。
You see； Bowser the Hound knew all about that trick and he had just
waited until the train had passed and then had run across the bridge right
behind it。
And as Reddy Fox； out of breath and tired； ran to seek the aid of
Granny Fox in getting rid of Bowser the Hound； he heard a sound that
made him grind his teeth。
〃Haw； haw； haw！ How smart we are！〃
It was Blacky the Crow。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
IV。 Reddy Fox Grows Bold
Reddy Fox was growing bold。 Everybody said so； and what everybody
says must be so。 Reddy Fox had always been very sly and not bold at all。
The truth is Reddy Fox had so many times fooled Bowser the Hound and
Farmer Brown's boy that he had begun to think himself very smart indeed。
He had really fooled himself。 Yes； Sir； Reddy Fox had fooled himself。 He
thought himself so smart that nobody could fool him。
Now it is one of the worst habits in the world to think too much of
one's self。 And Reddy Fox had the habit。 Oh； my； yes！ Reddy Fox certainly
did have the habit！ When anyone mentioned Bowser the Hound； Reddy
would turn up his nose and say： 〃Pooh！ It's the easiest thing in the world to
fool him。〃
You see； he had forgotten all about the time Bowser had fooled him at
the railroad bridge。
Whenever Reddy saw Farmer Brown's boy he would say with the
greatest scorn： 〃Who's afraid of him？ Not I！〃
So as Reddy Fox thought more and more of his own smartness； he
grew bolder and bolder。 Almost every night he visited Farmer Brown's
henyard。 Farmer Brown set traps all around the yard； but Reddy always
found them and kept out of them。 It got so that Unc' Billy Possum and
Jimmy Skunk didn't dare go to the henhouse for eggs any more； for fear
that they would get into one of the traps set for Reddy Fox。 Of course they
missed those fresh eggs and of course they blamed Reddy Fox。
〃Never mind；〃 said Jimmy Skunk； scowling down on the Green
Meadows where Reddy Fox was taking a sun bath； 〃Farmer Brown's boy
will get him yet！ I hope he does！〃 Jimmy said this a little spitefully and
just as if he really meant it。
Now when people think that they are very； very smart； they like to
show off。 You know it isn't any fun at all to feel smart unless others can
see how smart you are。 So Reddy Fox； just to show off； grew very bold；
very bold indeed。 He actually went up to Farmer Brown's henyard in broad
daylight； and almost under the nose of Bowser the Hound he caught the
pet chicken of Farmer Brown's boy。 'Ol Mistah Buzzard； sailing overhead
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high up in the blue； blue sky； saw Reddy Fox and shook his bald head：
〃Ah see Trouble on the way； Yes； Ah do！ Yes； Ah do！ Hope it ain't a…
gwine to stay； Yes； Ah do！ Yes； Ah do！ Trouble am a spry ol' man； Bound
to find yo' if he can； If he finds yo' bound to stick。 When Ah sees him； Ah
runs quick！ Yes； Ah do！ Yes； Ah do！〃
But Reddy Fox thought himself so smart that it seemed as if he really
were hunting for Ol' Mr。 Trouble。 And when he caught the pet chicken of
Farmer Brown's boy； Ol' Mr。 Trouble was right at his heels。
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
V。 Reddy Grows Careless
Ol' Mistah Buzzard was right。 Trouble was right at the heels of Reddy
Fox； although Reddy wouldn't have believed it if he had been told。 He had
stolen that plump pet chicken of Farmer Brown's boy for no reason under
the sun but to show off。 He wanted everyone to know how bold he was。
He thought himself so smart that he could do just exactly what he pleased
and no one could stop him。 He liked to strut around through the Green
Forest and over the Green Meadows and brag about what he had done and
what he could do。
Now people who brag and boast and who like to show off are almost
sure to come to grief。 And when they do； very few people are sorry for
them。 None of the little meadow and forest people liked Reddy Fox；
anyway； and they were getting so tired of his boasting that they just ached
to see him get into trouble。 Yes； Sir； they just ached to see Reddy get into
trouble。
Peter Rabbit； happy…go…lucky Peter Rabbit； shook his head gravely
when he heard how Reddy had stolen that pet chicken of Farmer Brown's
boy； and was boasting about it to everyone。
〃Reddy Fox is getting so puffed up that pretty soon he won't be able to
see his own feet；〃 said Peter Rabbit。
〃Well； what if he doesn't？〃 demanded Jimmy Skunk。
Peter looked at Jimmy in disgust：
〃He comes to grief； however fleet； Who doesn't watch his flying feet。
〃Jimmy Skunk； if you didn't have that little bag of scent that
everybody is afraid of； you would be a lot more careful where you step；〃
replied Peter。 〃If Reddy doesn't watch out； someday he'll step right into a
trap。
Jimmy Skunk chuckled。 〃I wish he would！〃 said he。
Now when Farmer Brown's boy heard about the boldness of Reddy
Fox； he shut his mouth tight in a way that was unpleasant to see and
reached for his gun。 〃I can't afford to raise chickens to feed foxes！〃 said he。
Then he whistled for Bowser the Hound； and together they started out。 It
wasn't long before Bowser found Reddy's tracks。
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〃Bow； wow； wow； wow！〃 roared Bowser the Hound。
Reddy Fox； taking a nap on the edge of the Green Forest； heard
Bowser's big； deep voice。 He pricked up his ears； then he grinned。 〃I feel
just like a good run today；〃 said he； and trotted off along the Crooked
Little Path down the hill。
Now this was a beautiful summer day and Reddy knew that in summer
men and boys seldom hunt foxes。 〃It's only Bowser the Hound；〃 thought
Reddy； 〃and when I've had a good run； I'll play a trick on him so that he
will lose my track。〃 So Reddy didn't use his eyes as he should have done。
You see； he thought himself so smart that he had grown careless。 Yes； Sir；
Reddy Fox had grown careless。 He kept looking back to see where Bowser
the Hound was； but didn't look around to make sure that no other danger
was near。
Ol' Mistah Buzzard； sailing round and round； way up in the blue； blue
sky； could see everything going on down below。 He could see Reddy Fox
running along the edge of the Green Forest and every few minutes
stopping to chuckle and listen to Bowser the Hound trying to pick out the
trail Reddy had made so hard to follow by his twists and turns。 And he saw
something else； did Ol' Mistah Buzzard。 It looked to him very much like
the barrel of a gun sticking out from behind an old tree just ahead of
Reddy。
〃Ah reckon it's just like Ah said： Reddy Fox is gwine to meet trouble
right smart soon；〃 muttered Ol' Mistah Buzzard。
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VI。 Dru