MR. SLIPPER-SLOPPER
WHEN Mr. Fox laughed he showed all his long, sharp teeth, and Puss was mighty glad he had his trusty staff with him in case Mr. Fox became ugly. But nothing unpleasant happened, and by and by they came to the hen-house.
Puss was peeking through a crack in the boards, but before he had time to utter a cry of warning, Mr. Fox,
Seized the black duck by the neck,
And swung her across his back;
The black duck cried out, "Quack! quack! quack!"
With her legs hanging dangling down.
and away he went, out through the door, across the barnyard and up the hill. And I guess Lady Moon wished she hadn't shown that bad old fox the way through the dark forest.
And after that Puss pounded on the kitchen door and shouted, "The fox has run off with the black duck!"
"What's the matter?" asked Mrs. Slipper-Slopper. "Who has taken the black duck?"
"Hurry up!" called Puss. "The fox has a good start; 'twill be hard to catch him."
So Mrs. Slipper-Slopper pulled in her head and pretty soon came thumping down the stairs and opened the door.