the adventures of reddy fox(兰迪福克斯奇遇)-第3部分
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Then he looked down at the foot of the old tree on which he was
sitting； and what he saw caused Drummer to make up his mind。 〃I surely
would miss seeing that beautiful red coat of his！ I surely would！〃 he
muttered。 〃If he doesn't hear and heed now； it won't be my fault！〃 Then
Drummer the Woodpecker began such a furious rat…a…tat…tat…tat on the
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THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
trunk of the old tree that it rang through the Green Forest and out across
the Green Meadows almost to the Purple Hills。
Down at the foot of the tree a freckled face on which there was a black
scowl looked up。 It was the face of Farmer Brown's boy。
〃What ails that pesky woodpecker？〃 he muttered。 〃If he doesn't keep
still； he'll scare that fox！〃
He shook a fist at Drummer； but Drummer didn't appear to notice。 He
kept right on； rat…a…tat…tat…tat； rat…a…tat…tat…tat； rat…a…tat…tat…tat！
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VII。 Too Late Reddy Fox Hears
Drummer the Woodpecker was pounding out his danger signal so fast
and so hard that his red head flew back and forth almost too fast to see。
Rat…a…tat…tat…a…tat…tat； beat Drummer on the old tree trunk on the edge of
the Green Forest。 When he stopped for breath； he looked down into the
scowling face of Farmer Brown's boy； who was hiding behind the old tree
trunk。
Drummer didn't like the looks of that scowl； not a bit。 And he didn't
like the looks of the gun which Farmer Brown's boy had。 He knew that
Farmer Brown's boy was hiding there to shoot Reddy Fox； but Drummer
was beginning to be afraid that Farmer Brown's boy might guess what all
that drumming meantthat it was a warning to Reddy Fox。 And if Farmer
Brown's boy did guess that； whywhyanyway； on the other side of the
tree there was a better place to drum。 So Drummer the Woodpecker crept
around to the other side of the tree and in a minute was drumming harder
than ever。 Whenever he stopped for breath； he looked out over the Green
Meadows to see if Reddy Fox had heard his warning。
But if Reddy had heard； he hadn't heeded。 Just to show off before all
the little meadow and forest people； Reddy had waited until Bowser the
Hound had almost reached him。 Then； with a saucy flirt of his tail； Reddy
Fox started to show how fast he could run； and that is very fast indeed。 It
made Bowser the Hound seem very slow； as； with his nose to the ground；
he came racing after Reddy； making a tremendous noise with his great
voice。
Now Reddy Fox had grown as careless as he had grown bold。 Instead
of looking sharply ahead； he looked this way and that way to see who was
watching and admiring him。 So he took no note of where he was going
and started straight for the old tree trunk on which Drummer the
Woodpecker was pounding out his warning of danger。
Now Reddy Fox has sharp eyes and very quick ears。 My； my； indeed
he has！ But just now Reddy was as deaf as if he had cotton stuffed in his
ears。 He was chuckling to himself to think how he was going to fool
Bowser the Hound and how smart everyone would think him； when all of
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a sudden； he heard the rat…a…tat…tata…tat…tat of Drummer the Woodpecker
and knew that that meant 〃Danger！〃
For just a wee little second it seemed to Reddy Fox that his heart
stopped beating。 He couldn't stop running； for he had let Bowser the
Hound get too close for that。 Reddy's sharp eyes saw Drummer the
Woodpecker near the top of the old tree trunk and noticed that Drummer
seemed to be looking at something down below。 Reddy Fox gave one
quick look at the foot of the old tree trunk and saw a gun pointed at him
and behind the gun the freckled face of Farmer Brown's boy。 Reddy Fox
gave a little gasp of fright and turned so suddenly that he almost fell flat。
Then he began to run as never in his life had he run before。 It seemed as
though his flying feet hardly touched the grass。 His eyes were popping out
with fright as with every jump he tried to run just a wee bit faster。
Bang！ Bang！ Two flashes of fire and two puffs of smoke darted from
behind the old tree trunk。 Drummer the Woodpecker gave a frightened
scream and flew deep into the Green Forest。 Peter Rabbit flattened himself
under a friendly bramble bush。 Johnny Chuck dived headfirst down his
doorway。
Reddy Fox gave a yelp； a shrill little yelp of pain； and suddenly began
to go lame。 But Farmer Brown's boy didn't know that。 He thought he had
missed and he growled to himself：
〃I'll get that fox yet for stealing my pet chicken！〃
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VIII。 Granny Fox Takes Care of
Reddy
Reddy Fox was so sore and lame that he could hardly hobble。 He had
had the hardest kind of work to get far enough ahead of Bowser the Hound
to mix his trail up so that Bowser couldn't follow it。 Then he had limped
home； big tears running down his nose； although he tried hard not to cry。
〃Oh！ Oh！ Oh！〃 moaned Reddy Fox； as he crept in at the doorway of his
home。
〃What's the matter now？〃 snapped old Granny Fox； who had just
waked up from a sun nap。
〃II've got hurt；〃 said Reddy Fox； and began to cry harder。 Granny
Fox looked at Reddy sharply。 〃What have you been doing nowtearing
your clothes on a barbed…wire fence or trying to crawl through a bull…briar
thicket？ I should think you were big enough by this time to look out for
yourself！〃 said Granny Fox crossly； as she came over to look at Reddy's
hurts。
〃Please don't scold； please don't； Granny Fox；〃 begged Reddy； who
was beginning to feel sick to his stomach as well as lame； and to smart
dreadfully。
Granny Fox took one look at Reddy's wounds； and knew right away
what had happened。 She made Reddy stretch himself out at full length and
then she went to work on him； washing his wounds with the greatest care
and binding them up。 She was very gentle； was old Granny Fox； as she
touched the sore places； but all the time she was at work her tongue flew；
and that wasn't gentle at all。 Oh； my； no！ There was nothing gentle about
that！
You see； old Granny Fox is wise and very； very sharp and shrewd。 Just
as soon as she saw Reddy's hurts； she knew that they were made by shot
from a gun； and that meant that Reddy Fox had been careless or he never；
never would have been where he was in danger of being shot。
〃I hope this will teach you a lesson！〃 said Granny Fox。 〃What are your
eyes and your ears and your nose for？ To keep you out of just such trouble
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as this。
〃A little Fox must use his eyes Or get someday a sad surprise。
〃A little Fox must use his ears And know what makes each sound he
hears。
〃A little Fox must use his nose And try the wind where'er he goes。
〃A little Fox must use all three To live to grow as old as me。
〃Now tell me all about it； Reddy Fox。 This is summer and men don't
hunt foxes now。 I don't see how it happens that Farmer Brown's boy was
waiting for you with a gun。
So Reddy Fox told Granny Fox all about how he had run too near the
old tree trunk behind which Farmer Brown's boy had been hiding； but
Reddy didn't tell how he had been trying to show off； or how in broad
daylight he had stolen the pet chicken of Farmer Brown's boy。 You may be
sure he was very careful not to mention that。
And so old Granny Fox puckered up her brows and thought and
thought； trying to find some good reason why Farmer Brown's boy should
have been hunting in the summertime。
〃Caw； caw； caw！〃 shouted Blacky the Crow。
The face of Granny Fox cleared。 〃Blacky the Crow has been stealing；
and Farmer Brown's boy was out after him when Reddy came along；〃 said
Granny Fox； talking out loud to herself。
Reddy Fox grew very red in the face； but he never said a word。
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IX。 Peter Rabbit Hears the News
Johnny Chuck came running up to the edge of the Old Briarpatch quite
out of breath。 You see； he is so round and fat and roly…poly that to run
makes him puff and blow。 Johnny Chuck's eyes danced with excitement as
he peered into the Old Briar…patch； trying to see Peter Rabbit。
〃Peter！ Peter Rabbit！ Oh； Peter！〃 he called。 No one answered。 Johnny
Chuck looked disappointed。 It was the middle of the morning； and he had
thought that Peter would surely be at home then。 He would try once more。
〃Oh； you Peter Rabbit！〃 he shouted in such a high…pitched voice that it
was almost a squeal。
〃What you want？〃 asked a sleepy voice from the middle of the Old
Briar…patch。
Johnny Chuck's face lighted
