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Show REDDY FOX HEARS AN C X EXPECTED 6 OUXD By Thornton V. Burgesa I Ho wise and turn a deafened ear To sounds 'twere better not to hear. Kcddy Fox. Reddy Fox was down on the Green Meadows, catching grasshoppers. With him were two of his ' half-grown children, chil-dren, the other two being off with Mr.". Reddy. It was a long time since Reddy had been near Farmer Brown's henyard. Vou sec, now that he had children to look out for, Reddy was careful not, to get into trouble. Besides, food was plentiful. Just now it was grasshopper tinu and there w;ts no excuse for going hungry. If Farmer Brown's Boy could have seen Redd) and those two young Foxes catching grasshoppers It would have done his heart good. Tou see, there are time when Reddy really does do a great dal of good and one of these times Is when tbe grasshoppers come. Grasshoppers Grass-hoppers eat the crops. Now, it Just happened that as Reddy was busy catching grasshoppers a Merry Little Breeze cume dancing along from tho direction of Parmer Brown's barnyard and it brought with it a sound that made Reddy prick up his sharp-pointed black ears He forgot for-got all about grasshoppers as he lifted his head to listen. Slowly a grin crept over his crafty face. I "Quack, quack, quack, quack," was whit Reddy heard. It was faint but clear It was a long, long time since R ddy had heard that sound "Ducks," exclaimed Reddy under his br'eith. 'Ducks. Farmer Brown's Boy has Ducks this year. Ho has Ducks, and I didn't know it until now " But aloud Reddy said nothing at all for tho two young Foxes were doing exactly what he was doing, listening to that strange sound Which the .Meny Little Bree.e had brought. You see, when they were out with their father they did exactly as he did. That is tho way little Foxes learn. When Reddy stopped they stopped. When he listened lis-tened thev listened. When he sniffed the air they sniffed the air. "What Is that sound?" asked one of the little Foxes. "It is a Bound that young Foxes shouldn't listen to." replied Reddy gravely. ' It Is a sound that If listened lis-tened to might get young Foxes Into trouble." "Oh." said the little Fox. "Then it isn't a good sound. Is It ."' "N'o-o," replied Reddy slowly, though In his heart he thought It was the best sound he had heard for a long, long time. "No, it Isn't a good sound. At least It isn't a good sound for little Foxes to listen to Whenever' When-ever' you hear that sound be sure to 1 keep away from the place whero It eomes from. Don't listen to it Now let me see how smart you are at ealrhlng gr.iH hoppers" "What is thnt sound ?" nskctl one ol 1 he little Fbx g Of course, the little Foxes were a great deal more interested in filling I heir little stomachs than In listening to the sound Which their father said 'was not grod for them to hear and soon they were poum lng right and left as they tried to catch the lively grasshoppers. grass-hoppers. I Reddy also continued to hunt for grasshoppers. But whenever he was sure the little Poxes were not watching watch-ing him he would stop and listen and every time he heard that faint "Quack, , quack, quack." his mouth watered. Vou see, lieddy is very, very ,fond of Ducks and It was a long time I since he-had tasted one. Ho was gin he had heard those Ducks, but at the same time ho wished he hadn't. He was glad to know that there were iDucks up there in Farmer Brown's I barnyard, but he knew enough that until those young Fovs were big enough to care for themselves he should keep out of danger and now it was going to be very, very harn n.-Iceep n.-Iceep away from Furmer Brown'n barnyard Three times plump grasshoppers grass-hoppers Jumped from under his very paws because he was so busy listening ior the sound of those Ducks that he didn't attend to business. I "I wonder If those Ducks are kept In the henyard or if they are out in the barnyard," thought Reddy. "Of course, it doesn't make any difference because I am going to keep away from there. Just the. same, I wish I knew. j .My. my. how good a fat Duck would taste." (Copyright, 1922, by T W Burgess) The next story; "Reddy Tries to Forget " |