“Fine,” said his wife. “And Tommy’s gun is all ready to start in the morning.”
CHAPTER XI
WHY THE LITTLE OWLS’ PLANS WENT WRONG
Tommy Peele got up early, very early, on Saturday morning and took care of his cows, for this was the day he was to hunt Silvertip the Fox with a gun. His big cousin Sandy had come with his hound, Trailer. Sandy was to do the shooting. And Watch took Trailer into a quiet corner and remarked: “I don’t want to be unpleasant, but it’s a fox, not a rabbit we’re going to kill, and if you so much as yelp at another thing I’ll tear the hide right off you.” And Trailer opened his big brown eyes and promised to be very careful.
All the woods and fields were ready, too, for the fox killed a great many things besides Tommy’s chickens. Every one hoped Tommy would kill him; every one but little Mr. and Mrs. Screech Owl and Foul Fang the Rattlesnake, who was hiding that very minute in the leaves in front of the fox’s log.
Nibble wanted to warn Watch, but when he saw Trailer sniffing along beside him he didn’t dare. So off he set toward the woods. And Watch and Trailer followed him. Pretty soon Trailer said: “I thought you weren’t chasing rabbits.”
“I’m not,” growled Watch. “He’s showing us where the fox is hidden.” And maybe that didn’t set Trailer wondering.
Just then those Bad Little Owls stumbled past, bumping against the twigs, for they fly badly in the daytime. But they never reached Foul Fang, for Chaik the Jay, who was another of Tommy’s friends, was lying in wait for them. He had his whole family to help him, and what they did to those Bad Little Owls!
Meantime, Nibble was going slowly and carefully on the lookout for Foul Fang. “Stop!” shrieked Chewee the Chickadee from a branch above him. “Foul Fang’s right in front of you. I saw him move a minute ago, but I can’t see him until he moves again.”
Nibble froze in his tracks. Foul Fang was ahead, that strange dog was behind him. But he knew he mustn’t let any one pass him. He waited until the dogs were very close, then he darted past them, right to Tommy’s feet, calling: “Foul Fang! Foul Fang!”
“Wait!” barked Watch to Trailer. “Something’s wrong.” And he ran and caught Tommy by the coat to stop him. And of course Trailer and Tommy’s cousin Sandy stopped, too. “What’s up?” demanded Sandy.