Mr. Fox listened carefully, and then by the difference in the howl and bark, he could tell what Sharp Eyes was saying. It was this:
“I have caught something! I have caught something!”
“Ah, my little fox boy has had good luck,” said Mr. Fox. “Better luck than I have had. I must go and see what he has caught!”
Not having found anything that he could take home for his family’s dinner, Mr. Fox turned and ran quickly through the woods toward Sharp Eyes. He could tell where his little fox son was by noticing the direction from which his howls and barks came.
“What is it?” asked Mr. Fox as he came near.
“I have caught a big wild turkey,” answered Sharp Eyes, still keeping the large bird between his paws.
“Ha! that is not a turkey,” said Mr. Fox, as he came near and saw what Sharp Eyes had.
“No?” asked the little fox in surprise. “What is it then?”
“It’s a rooster,” said his father. “A great, big rooster that lives down on the farm where the ducks are,” for there were farms near the North Woods, though there were no cities. “Well do I know that rooster,” went on Mr. Fox. “Many a time, when I have been creeping up to get a chicken, he has seen me and crowed so loudly that the farmer came out with a gun to drive me away. And so you have caught him, Sharp Eyes!”