Jimmy Skunk! Yes, Sir, it was Jimmy Skunk. He was slowly ambling along, for Jimmy Skunk never hurries. Every big stick or stone that he could move, he would pull over or look under, for Jimmy Skunk was hunting for beetles.

Old Granny Fox watched him. "He must have a tremendous appet.i.te to be hunting for beetles after eating my chicken!" muttered she. Then she jumped out in front of Jimmy Skunk, her eyes snapping, her teeth showing, and the hair on her back standing on end so as to make her look very fierce. But all the time old Granny Fox took the greatest care not to get too near to Jimmy Skunk.

"Where's my chicken?" snarled old Granny Fox, and she looked very, very fierce.

Jimmy Skunk looked up as if very much surprised. "h.e.l.lo, Granny Fox!" he exclaimed. "Have you lost a chicken?"

"You've stolen it! You're a thief, Jimmy Skunk!" snapped Granny Fox.

"Words can never make black white; Before you speak be sure you're right,"

said Jimmy Skunk. "I'm not a thief."

"You are!" cried Granny working herself into a great rage.

"I'm not!"

"You are!"

All the time Jimmy Skunk was chuckling to himself, and the more he chuckled the angrier grew old Granny Fox. And all the time Jimmy Skunk kept moving toward old Granny Fox and Granny Fox kept backing away, for, like all the other little meadow and forest people, she has very great respect for Jimmy Skunk's little bag of scent.

Now, backing off that way, she couldn't see where she was going, and the first thing she knew she had backed into a bramble bush. It tore her skirts and scratched her legs. "Ooch!" cried old Granny Fox.

"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Jimmy Skunk. "That's what you get for calling me names."

XIV. Granny Fox Finds What Became of the Chicken

Old Granny Fox was in a terrible temper. Dear, dear, it certainly was a dreadful temper! Jimmy Skunk laughed at her, and that made it worse.

When he saw this, Jimmy Skunk just rolled over and over on the ground and shouted, he was so tickled. Of course, it wasn't the least bit nice of Jimmy Skunk, but you know that Granny Fox had been calling Jimmy a thief. Then Jimmy doesn't like Granny Fox anyway, nor do any of the other little meadow and forest people, for most of them are very much afraid of her.

When old Granny Fox finally got out of the bramble bush, she didn't stop to say anything more to Jimmy Skunk, but hurried away, muttering and grumbling and grinding her teeth. Old Granny Fox wasn't pleasant to meet just then, and when Bobby c.o.o.n saw her coming, he just thought it best to get out of her way, so he climbed a tree.

It wasn't that Bobby c.o.o.n was afraid of old Granny Fox. Bless you, no! Bobby c.o.o.n isn't a bit afraid of her. It was because he had a full stomach and was feeling too good-natured and lazy to quarrel.

"Good morning, Granny Fox. I hope you are feeling well this morning,"

said Bobby c.o.o.n, as old Granny Fox came trotting under the tree he was sitting in. Granny Fox looked up and glared at him with yellow eyes.

"It isn't a good morning and I'm not feeling fine!" she snapped.

"My goodness, how you have torn your skirts!" exclaimed Bobby c.o.o.n.

Old Granny Fox started to say something unpleasant. Then she changed her mind and instead she sat down and told Bobby c.o.o.n all her troubles. As she talked, Bobby c.o.o.n kept ducking his head behind a branch of the tree to hide a smile. Finally Granny Fox noticed it.

"What do you keep ducking your head for, Bobby c.o.o.n?" she asked suspiciously.

"I'm just looking to see if I can see any feathers from that chicken,"

replied Bobby c.o.o.n gravely, though his eyes were twinkling with mischief.

"Well, do you?" demanded old Granny Fox.

And just then Bobby c.o.o.n did. They were not on the ground, however, but floating in the air. Bobby c.o.o.n leaned out to see where they came from, and Granny Fox turned to look, too. What do you think they saw? Why, sitting on a tall, dead tree was Mr. Goshawk, just then swallowing the last of Granny's chicken.

"Thief! thief! robber! robber!" shrieked old Granny Fox.

But Mr. Goshawk said nothing, just winked at Bobby c.o.o.n, puffed out his feathers, and settled himself for a comfortable nap.

XV. Reddy Fox Has a Visitor

Hardly was old Granny Fox out of sight on her way to hunt for the chicken she had left on the hill, when Unc' Billy Possum came strolling along the Lone Little Path. He was humming to himself, for he had just had a good breakfast. One of the Merry Little Breezes spied him and hurried to meet him and tell him about how Reddy Fox had been shot.

Unc' Billy listened, and the grin with which he had greeted the Merry Little Breeze grew into a broad smile.

"Are yo' all sure about that?" he asked.

The Merry Little Breeze was sure.

Unc' Billy Possum stopped for a few minutes and considered.

"Serves that no 'count Reddy Fox right," chuckled Unc' Billy. "He done spoil mah hunting at Farmer Brown's, he raised such a fuss among the hens up there. 'Tisn't safe to go there any mo'! No, Suh, 'tisn't safe, and it won't be safe for a right smart while. Did yo' say that Granny Fox is home?"

The Merry Little Breeze hadn't said anything about Granny Fox, but now remembered that she had gone up the hill.

"Ah believe Ah will just tote my sympathy over to Reddy Fox," said Unc'

Billy Possum, as he started in the direction of Reddy Fox's house.

But he made sure that old Granny Fox was not at home before he showed himself. Reddy Fox lay on his doorstep. He was sick and sore and stiff.

Indeed, he was so stiff he couldn't walk at all. And he was weak--weak and hungry, dreadfully hungry. When he heard footsteps, he thought old Granny Fox was bringing him the chicken after which she had gone. He felt too ill even to turn his head.

"Did you get the chicken, Granny?" he asked weakly. No one answered. "I say, did you get the chicken, Granny?" Reddy's voice sounded a little sharp and cross as he asked this time.

Still there was no reply, and Reddy began to be a little bit suspicious.

He turned over and raised his head to look. Instead of old Granny Fox, there was Unc' Billy Possum grinning at him.

"Smarty, Smarty is a thief!

Smarty, Smarty came to grief!

Tried to show off just for fun And ran too near a loaded gun.

"Yo' all certainly has got just what yo' deserve, and Ah'm glad of it!

Ah'm glad of it, Suh!" said Unc' Billy Possum severely.

An angry light came into the eyes of Reddy Fox and made them an ugly yellow for just a minute. But he felt too sick to quarrel. Unc' Billy Possum saw this. He saw how Reddy was really suffering, and down deep in his heart Unc' Billy was truly sorry for him. But he didn't let Reddy know it. No, indeed! He just pretended to be tickled to death to see Reddy Fox so helpless. He didn't dare stay long, for fear Granny Fox would return. So, after saying a few more things to make Reddy feel uncomfortable, Unc' Billy started off up the Lone Little Path toward the Green Forest.

"Too bad! Too bad!" he muttered to himself. "If ol' Granny Fox isn't smart enough to get Reddy enough to eat, Ah'll have to see what we-alls can do. Ah cert'nly will."