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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
VI。 Drummer the Woodpecker
Drums in Vain
Once upon a time； before he had grown to think himself so very； very
smart； Reddy Fox would never； never have thought of running without
watching out in every direction。 He would have seen that thing that looked
like the barrel of a gun sticking out from behind the old tree toward which
he was running； and he would have been very suspicious； very suspicious
indeed。 But now all Reddy could think of was what a splendid chance he
had to show all the little meadow and forest people what a bold； smart
fellow he was。
So once more Reddy sat down and waited until Bowser the Hound was
almost up to him。 Just then Drummer the Woodpecker began to make a
tremendous noiserat…a…tat…tat…tat； rat…a…tat…tat…tat； rat…a…tat…tat…tat！ Now
everybody who heard that rat…a…tat…tat…tat knew that it was a danger signal。
Drummer the Woodpecker never drums just that way for pleasure。 But
Reddy Fox paid no attention to it。 He didn't notice it at all。 You see； he was
so full of the idea of his own smartness that he didn't have room for
anything else。
〃Stupid thing！〃 said Drummer the Woodpecker to himself。 〃I don't
know what I am trying to warn him for； anyway。 The Green Meadows and
the Green Forest would be better off without him； a lot better off！ Nobody
likes him。 He's a dreadful bully and is all the time trying to catch or scare
to death those who are smaller than he。 Still； he is so handsome！〃
Drummer cocked his head on one side and looked over at Reddy Fox。
Reddy was laughing to see how hard Bowser the Hound was working
to untangle Reddy's mixed…up trail。
〃Yes； Sir； he certainly is handsome；〃 said Drummer once more。
Then he looked down at the foot of the old tree on which he was
sitting； and what he saw caused Drummer to make up his mind。 〃I surely
would miss seeing that beautiful red coat of his！ I surely would！〃 he
muttered。 〃If he doesn't hear and heed now； it won't be my fault！〃 Then
Drummer the Woodpecker began such a furious rat…a…tat…tat…tat on the
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
trunk of the old tree that it rang through the Green Forest and out across
the Green Meadows almost to the Purple Hills。
Down at the foot of the tree a freckled face on which there was a black
scowl looked up。 It was the face of Farmer Brown's boy。
〃What ails that pesky woodpecker？〃 he muttered。 〃If he doesn't keep
still； he'll scare that fox！〃
He shook a fist at Drummer； but Drummer didn't appear to notice。 He
kept right on； rat…a…tat…tat…tat； rat…a…tat…tat…tat； rat…a…tat…tat…tat！
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
VII。 Too Late Reddy Fox Hears
Drummer the Woodpecker was pounding out his danger signal so fast
and so hard that his red head flew back and forth almost too fast to see。
Rat…a…tat…tat…a…tat…tat； beat Drummer on the old tree trunk on the edge of
the Green Forest。 When he stopped for breath； he looked down into the
scowling face of Farmer Brown's boy； who was hiding behind the old tree
trunk。
Drummer didn't like the looks of that scowl； not a bit。 And he didn't
like the looks of the gun which Farmer Brown's boy had。 He knew that
Farmer Brown's boy was hiding there to shoot Reddy Fox； but Drummer
was beginning to be afraid that Farmer Brown's boy might guess what all
that drumming meantthat it was a warning to Reddy Fox。 And if Farmer
Brown's boy did guess that； whywhyanyway； on the other side of the
tree there was a better place to drum。 So Drummer the Woodpecker crept
around to the other side of the tree and in a minute was drumming harder
than ever。 Whenever he stopped for breath； he looked out over the Green
Meadows to see if Reddy Fox had heard his warning。
But if Reddy had heard； he hadn't heeded。 Just to show off before all
the little meadow and forest people； Reddy had waited until Bowser the
Hound had almost reached him。 Then； with a saucy flirt of his tail； Reddy
Fox started to show how fast he could run； and that is very fast indeed。 It
made Bowser the Hound seem very slow； as； with his nose to the ground；
he came racing after Reddy； making a tremendous noise with his great
voice。
Now Reddy Fox had grown as careless as he had grown bold。 Instead
of looking sharply ahead； he looked this way and that way to see who was
watching and admiring him。 So he took no note of where he was going
and started straight for the old tree trunk on which Drummer the
Woodpecker was pounding out his warning of danger。
Now Reddy Fox has sharp eyes and very quick ears。 My； my； indeed
he has！ But just now Reddy was as deaf as if he had cotton stuffed in his
ears。 He was chuckling to himself to think how he was going to fool
Bowser the Hound and how smart everyone would think him； when all of
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
a sudden； he heard the rat…a…tat…tata…tat…tat of Drummer the Woodpecker
and knew that that meant 〃Danger！〃
For just a wee little second it seemed to Reddy Fox that his heart
stopped beating。 He couldn't stop running； for he had let Bowser the
Hound get too close for that。 Reddy's sharp eyes saw Drummer the
Woodpecker near the top of the old tree trunk and noticed that Drummer
seemed to be looking at something down below。 Reddy Fox gave one
quick look at the foot of the old tree trunk and saw a gun pointed at him
and behind the gun the freckled face of Farmer Brown's boy。 Reddy Fox
gave a little gasp of fright and turned so suddenly that he almost fell flat。
Then he began to run as never in his life had he run before。 It seemed as
though his flying feet hardly touched the grass。 His eyes were popping out
with fright as with every jump he tried to run just a wee bit faster。
Bang！ Bang！ Two flashes of fire and two puffs of smoke darted from
behind the old tree trunk。 Drummer the Woodpecker gave a frightened
scream and flew deep into the Green Forest。 Peter Rabbit flattened himself
under a friendly bramble bush。 Johnny Chuck dived headfirst down his
doorway。
Reddy Fox gave a yelp； a shrill little yelp of pain； and suddenly began
to go lame。 But Farmer Brown's boy didn't know that。 He thought he had
missed and he growled to himself：
〃I'll get that fox yet for stealing my pet chicken！〃
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
VIII。 Granny Fox Takes Care of
Reddy
Reddy Fox was so sore and lame that he could hardly hobble。 He had
had the hardest kind of work to get far enough ahead of Bowser the Hound
to mix his trail up so that Bowser couldn't follow it。 Then he had limped
home； big tears running down his nose； although he tried hard not to cry。
〃Oh！ Oh！ Oh！〃 moaned Reddy Fox； as he crept in at the doorway of his
home。
〃What's the matter now？〃 snapped old Granny Fox； who had just
waked up from a sun nap。
〃II've got hurt；〃 said Reddy Fox； and began to cry harder。 Granny
Fox looked at Reddy sharply。 〃What have you been doing nowtearing
your clothes on a barbed…wire fence or trying to crawl through a bull…briar
thicket？ I should think you were big enough by this time to look out for
yourself！〃 said Granny Fox crossly； as she came over to look at Reddy's
hurts。
〃Please don't scold； please don't； Granny Fox；〃 begged Reddy； who
was beginning to feel sick to his stomach as well as lame； and to smart
dreadfully。
Granny Fox took one look at Reddy's wounds； and knew right away
what had happened。 She made Reddy stretch himself out at full length and
then she went to work on him； washing his wounds with the greatest care
and binding them up。 She was very gentle； was old Granny Fox； as she
touched the sore places； but all the time she was at work her tongue flew；
and that wasn't gentle at