Every night when he came home Slyboots and Bushytail would say, “What have you brought to eat, daddy dear?”
And Mrs. Fox would say: “There is nothing in the cupboard; nothing at all!”
All this would make Danny Fox feel very badly. But feeling sorry doesn’t keep one from feeling hungry. So he would answer, “I thought perhaps you might have had better luck, but as the cupboard is empty, I’ll go out and try again.”
One night as he was prowling around the Big Red Barn he came to a hole. It wasn’t a very big hole. It was just large enough for him to push in his long thin nose and see what was going on.
There sat Mr. Longtooth Rat eating his supper of corn.
“Good evening,” said Danny Fox.
“Won’t you come in?” said Mr. Longtooth Rat with a grin.
“Bah!” retorted Danny Fox with a snarl, “don’t talk nonsense.” He knew Mr. Longtooth Rat was making fun of him, for how could he squeeze through a hole that was only just large enough for his head?
“Don’t lose your temper,” said Mr. Longtooth Rat. “I might do you a favor.”
“What kind of a favor?” asked Danny Fox suspiciously.