Section 5:
Reddy Fox Comes to Life
Peter Rabbit in a Tight Place
And, Johnny Chuck Helps Peter
Chapter 13: Reddy Fox Comes to Life
REDDY FOX lay on the side hill.
Bobby Coon found him there, and when Bobby spoke to him, Reddy made no reply.
Bobby went over and looked at him.
Reddy's eyes were closed.
Bobby grinned to himself, then he tip-toed a little nearer and shouted "boo" right in
one of Reddy's little black ears.
Still Reddy did not move.
Bobby Coon's face grew sober.
He poked Reddy with his foot, but still Reddy did not move.
Then he pulled Reddy's tail, and still Reddy did not move.
"It must be that Reddy Fox is dead," thought Bobby Coon, and he hurried away to tell the
news.
There was great excitement on the Green Meadows and in the Green Forest when the little people
there heard that Reddy Fox was dead.
Of course, everyone wanted to see Reddy, and soon there was a procession of little meadow
and forest people hurrying across the Green Meadows to the hillside where Reddy Fox lay.
Jimmy Skunk, Johnny Chuck, Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter, Uncle Billy Possum, Danny Meadow
Mouse, Spotty the Turtle, Old Mr. Toad, Grandfather Frog, Jerry Muskrat,
Sammy Jay, Blacky the Crow, Happy Jack Squirrel, Striped Chipmunk, Jumper the Hare, Prickly
Porky, all were there.
They formed a big circle around Reddy Fox.
Then they began to talk about Reddy.
Some told of the good things that Reddy had done and what a fine gentleman he was.
Others told of the mean things that Reddy Fox had done and how glad they were that they
no longer have to watch out for him.
It was surprising the number of bad things that were said.
But then, they felt safe in saying them, for was not Reddy lying right there before them,
stone dead?
Now, Peter Rabbit had not heard the news until late in the day, and when he did hear it,
he started as fast as his long legs could take him to have a last look at Reddy.
Halfway there he suddenly stopped and scratched one of his long ears.
Peter was thinking.
It was mighty funny that Reddy Fox should have died without anyone having heard that
he was sick.
Peter started on again, but this time he did not hurry.
Presently he cut a long twig, which he carried along with him.
When he reached the circle around Reddy Fox, he stole up behind Prickly Porky the Porcupine
and whispered in his ear.
Prickly Porky took the long twig which Peter handed to him, while Peter went off at a little
distance and climbed up on an old stump where he could see.
Prickly Porky reached over and tickled one of Reddy's black ears.
For a minute nothing happened.
Then the black ear twitched.
Prickly Porky tickled the end of Reddy's little black nose; then he tickled it again.
What do you think happened?
Why Reddy Fox sneezed!
My, my, my!
How that circle around Reddy Fox did disappear!
All the little people who were afraid of Reddy Fox scampered away as fast as they could run,
while all the other little people who were not afraid of Reddy Fox began to laugh,
and the one who laughed loudest of all was Peter Rabbit, as he started back to the Old
Briar patch.
Of course, Reddy Fox knew then that it was of no use at all to pretend that he was dead,
so he sprang to his feet and started after Peter Rabbit at the top of his speed,
but when he reached the Old Briar patch, Peter was safely inside, and Reddy could hear him
laughing as if he would split his sides.
"If at first, you don't succeed, try, try again!" shouted Peter Rabbit.
Chapter 14: Peter Rabbit in a Tight Place
"Hop along, skip along, The sun is shining bright;
Hum a song, sing a song, My heart is always light."
IT is true, Peter Rabbit always is light-hearted.
For days and days, Reddy Fox had been trying to catch Peter, and Peter had had to keep
his wits very sharp indeed in order to keep out of Reddy's way.
Still, it didn't seem to worry Peter much.
Just now he was hopping and skipping down the Lone Little Path without a care in the
world.
Presently Peter found a nice, shady spot close by a big rock.
Underneath one edge of the rock was a place just big enough for Peter to crawl in—it
was just the place for a nap.
Peter was beginning to feel sleepy, so he crawled in there and soon was fast asleep.
By and by Peter began to dream.
He dreamed that he had gone for a long walk, way, way off from the safe Old Briar patch,
and that out from behind a big bush had sprung Reddy Fox.
Just as Reddy's teeth were about to close on Peter, Peter woke up.
It was such a relief to find out that he was really snug and safe under the big rock that
he almost shouted aloud.
But he didn't, and a minute later he was, oh, so glad he hadn't, for he heard a voice
that seemed as if it was right in his ear.
It was the voice of Reddy Fox.
Yes, Sir, it was the voice of Reddy Fox.
Peter hardly dared to breathe, and you may be sure that he did not make even the smallest
sound, for Reddy Fox was sitting on the very rock under which Peter was resting.
Reddy Fox was talking to Blacky the Crow.
Peter listened with all his might, for what do you think Reddy Fox was saying?
Why he was telling Blacky the Crow of a new plan to catch Peter Rabbit and was asking
Blacky to help him.
Peter had never been so frightened in his life, for here was Reddy Fox so close to him
that Peter could have reached out and touched one of Reddy's legs, as he kicked his heels
over the edge of the big rock.
By and by Blacky the Crow spoke.
"I saw Peter Rabbit coming down this way early this morning," said Blacky, "and I don't think
he has gone home.
Why don't you go over and hide near the Old Briar-patch and catch Peter when he comes
back?
I will watch out, and if I see Peter, I will tell him that you have gone hunting your breakfast
way over beyond the big hill.
Then he will not be on the watch."
"The very thing," exclaimed Reddy Fox, "and if I catch him, I will surely do something
for you, Blacky.
I believe that I will go right away."
Then the two rascals planned, and chuckled as they thought how they would outwit Peter
Rabbit.
"I'm getting hungry," said Reddy Fox, as he arose and stretched.
"I wonder if there is a field mouse hiding under this old rock.
I believe I'll look and see."
Peter's heart almost stood still as he heard Reddy Fox slide down off the big rock.
He wriggled himself still further under the rock and held his breath.
Just then Blacky the Crow gave a sharp "Caw, caw, caw!"
That meant that Blacky saw something, and almost at once, Peter heard a sound that sometimes
filled his heart with fear but which now filled it with great joy.
It was the voice of Bowser the Hound.
Reddy Fox heard it, too, and he didn't stop to look under the big rock.
A little later Peter very cautiously crawled out of his resting place and climbed up where
he could look over the Green Meadows.
Way over on the far side he could see Reddy Fox running at the top of his speed, and behind
him was Bowser the Hound.
"My! but that was a tight place," said Peter Rabbit, as he stretched himself.
Chapter 15: Johnny Chuck Helps Peter
JOHNNY CHUCK had watched Reddy Fox try to fool and catch Peter Rabbit, and sometimes
Johnny had been very much afraid that Reddy would succeed.
But Peter had been too smart for Reddy every time, and Johnny had laughed with the other
little folk of the Green Meadows whenever the Merry Little Breezes had brought a new
story of how Peter had outwitted Reddy.
"Peter'll have to watch out sharper than ever now, for Granny Fox is almost well, and she
is very angry because Reddy could not catch Peter Rabbit for her when she was ill.
She says that she is going to show that stupid Reddy how to do it and do it quickly," said
Jimmy Skunk, when he stopped to chat with Johnny Chuck one fine morning.
Johnny had just been laughing very hard over one of Peter Rabbit's tricks, but now his
face grew very sober, very sober indeed.
"It won't do to let old Granny Fox catch Peter.
It won't do at all.
We must all turn in and help Peter," said Johnny.
"Why, what would the Green Meadows and the Green Forest be like with no Peter Rabbit?"
he added.
Late that afternoon Johnny Chuck happened to find Peter Rabbit taking a nap.
Yes, Sir, Peter had actually gone to sleep outside the dear Old Briar patch.
At first, Johnny thought that he would waken him and tell him that Reddy Fox was hunting
right near.
But just then Johnny's bright eyes saw something that made him chuckle.
It was the home of some hot-tempered friends of his, a beautiful homemade of what looked
like gray paper.
It was fastened to a bush just above a little path leading to the very spot where Peter
lay fast asleep.
Johnny chuckled again, then off he hurried.
He sat down on the top of a little hill.
Pretty soon Reddy Fox came along through the hollow below.
"Hello, Reddy Fox!
Do you want to know how you can catch Peter Rabbit?" asked Johnny.
Reddy looked up.
He didn't know just what to say.
He knew that Johnny Chuck and Peter had always been the very best of friends.
Still, friends fall out sometimes, and perhaps Johnny and Peter had.
Reddy decided that he would be polite.
"I certainly do, Johnny Chuck," he replied.
"Can you tell me how to do it?"
"Yes," said Johnny.
"Peter is fast asleep over yonder behind that little bunch of huckleberry bushes.
There is a little path through them.
All you have to do is to hurry up that little path as fast and as still as you can."
Reddy Fox waited to hear no more.
His eyes glistened as he started off at the top of his speed up the little path.
Just as Johnny had expected, Reddy went in such a hurry that he didn't use his eyes for
anything but signs of Peter Rabbit.
Bang!
Reddy had run headfirst into the paper house of Johnny Chuck's hot-tempered friends.
In fact, he had smashed the whole side in.
Out poured old Mrs. Hornet and all her family, and they had their little needles with them.
Reddy forgot all about Peter Rabbit.
He yelled at the top of his lungs and started for home, slapping at old Mrs. Hornet, whom
he never could hit, and stopping every few minutes to roll over and over.
Of course, when he yelled, Peter Rabbit awoke and sat up to see what all the fuss was about.
He saw Reddy running as if his life depended upon it.
Over on the little hill, he saw Johnny Chuck laughing so that the tears ran down his face.
Then Peter began to laugh, too and ran over to ask Johnny Chuck to tell him all about
it.
End of Section Five