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Show BSB A VLSITOR IN THE NIGHT By Thornton W, Burgess Rorself a mother will not spare. And nought is there she will not dare. Old Mother Nature. The young fox who was a prisoner of Farmer Brown's Boy thought that daj ne r would end He kept Inside the box Farmer Brown's Boy had fixed for him because somehow he felt paicr there. All day he heard strange noises outside, but he didn't trj to find out what made them. He didn't even pcok out He just lay there shaking with fright, and wlsh-inp- and wishing for the darkness of night Ho felt that whon night camo things would be different . Perhaps then ho could get away. Even after the Black Shadows had crept out from the Purple Hills across the Green Meadows to Farmer Farm-er Brov, n's doorway and wrapped It in darkness the young Fox remained for a long time right Where he was. You see, there were still strange noises from Farmer Brown's house. Then, too. once In a while Bowser the Mound came around to nnlff But at last all wan quiet. There was no lonnror any sounds from Fdrmer Brown's house Bowser tho Hound had gone to bed in his own little houso not far away. The young Fox crept to the doorway door-way which Farmer Brown's Boy had cut for him in that box. Ho peeped out Up In the sky tbe stars twinkled twin-kled Just ns he had so many times seen them twinkle from his home in tho Old Pasture. The young Fox was hungry. lie was very hungry. You see, ho had been too frightened to eat anv of the food Farmer Brown's Boy haJ put out for him. But now he thought of that food Somehow hi felt safer In the blessed darkness of the night. Hi was just about to creep out Phi D his sharp little ears caught the faintest of sounds just back of the box. He drew back. He knew that there was somebody there. It must ben an enemy At least that is the way he felt, for it seemed to him that ho no longer had any friends. So much had happened to him that day that he had lost all faith. And losing, faith, he lost hope. A shadowy form appeared Just in front of tho little doorway. The young Fox shrank back. Then his keen little nose caught a scent that made him tingle all over U was the scent of a Fox! It was the scent of a particular Fox! It was tho scent I of his mother' I of that box That shadowy form Instantly the young Fox rushed out was waiting for him It Tvas his mother. It was Mrs Roddy. Sho made no sound and she hushed the young Fox whon ho began to whin, with Joy. Very swiftly Mra. Reddy looked him over to see that nothing had happened to him The she whispered whis-pered to him to follow her. and turning, turn-ing, stole softly away. The young Fox followed closely at her heolJ? n,. had forgotten all about that droad- ful chain. He didn't remember it until un-til as he reached the end of It he was jerked up short. His mother turned to see- why he did not follow. Then she came hack. At first sho was puzzled But It did not take her long to understand what the trouble was. That young son of hers was held by that long, shiny thing. Mrs. Reddy made hlrn lie town. Then she stretched herself i side him and beg.an to gnnw at that chain. But It took Mrs. Reddy no time at all to discover that, sharp and strong ns her teeth were, they could not cut that chain Then she followed it back to where it was fasiened to tho post. She saw at one- that she could not get it freo there Back she came to the young Fox and examined the collar around his neck She tried it with her tooth. It wucn't like that dreadful chain. With patience she miffht gnaw this through. She lay down beside him and went to work. (Copyright ir22 by T. W. Burgess) The next story: "Bowser Interferes. Inter-feres. " |