Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-26
uI1IILESoRlEs
%BEDTInE
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Copyright, 1917, by T. ". Burgess.l
YoWIer Studies His Neighbors.

FOWLER the Bob-Cat had come 10 the
Green Forest by chance. His nome
had been among certain lodges on the
Great Mountain. When he lett IT ne
had no idea of staying away. such an
idea didn't enter his head. He simply
started out hunting, just as usual But
hunt as he would he could catch moth
ing on his usual hunting grounds 80
he wandered farther and farther down
toward the Green Forest until he came
to the edge of 1t. There he hesl-
tated He was tempted to go on and
he was inclined to go back. What
do you think it was that decided him?
It was the distant voice of Big Tom
Gobbler.
So Yowler entered the Green Forest
and at last came to the pond of Paddy
the Beaver. Not far away he discover
ed the rocky ledge in which Buster
Bear makes his winter home. though.
of course. Yowler knew nothing Of this
then. 1t looked to him like good
place for a home, SO he decided to stay
awhile He could go back to the Great
Mountain any time II he found the
hunting in the Green Forest was poor.
He picked out a little cave In the rocky
.The next thing to do" thought
Yowler. '.is to find out who lives in
the Green Forest and all about them.
how to hunt them.
So. the very first night after his
arrival. he started forth. Hardly was
he outside of his cave when he heard
the voice Of Hooty the Owl. He grin
ned.
THAT sounds encouraging" said he
to himself. Where Hooty the Owl Is
there is sure to be good hunting.
He stretched and yawned and then
as silently as a shadow he trotted over
to the pond of Paddy the Beaver for
drink. 1t was while he was drinking
that he saw Paddy for the first time.
Paddy was big. He looked fat. The
mere sight Of him made Yowler's
mouth water.
II want that fellow" said he. but
can't get him in the water: I wonder
II he ever comes on land. think I'll
study him a bit and fnd-o out his habits.
There Is nothing. like knowing the
ways Of your neighbors."
tree. from which he could see all over
Paddys pond and. stretched out COM
fortably on big limb. he watched
Paddy. Paddy at this time was very
busy getting his supply Of food for
winter and. of course. Yowler dis
covered that in order to get this Paddy
had to go on shore. He studied
PdQOy way Oh WOTklnS ana ne STUDIED
the little grove of aspen trees where
Paddy was cutting his food logs and
decided that IT was best to wait until
Paddy had cut the trees nearest the
water and had to go back farther on
land. Then he turned his attention to
finding out who else lived in the Green
Forest.
He caught mice enough to keep him
from going hungry and sometimes by
day and sometimes by night he
prowled about. soft-footed. stealthy,
studying the signs of his neighbors.
trying to learn their habits. It didn't
take him long to discover that the
Grouse family lived in the Green
Forest. but greater discovery was
that the Gobbier family lived there.
The first glimpse he got of Big Tom
Gobbler put all thoughts of Paddy the
Beaver and all the others out Of his
head. Just as Old Man Coyote and
Reddy Fox had done. he made up his
mind that one of those Gobblers would
make the most delicious of all dinners.
but it didn't take him long to discover
that that dinner would not be easily
carght.
rive got to find out all about their
habits. where thev feed. where they
sieen. everything l car and then wen
see" thought he. So FOWLER began to
sperd all his spare time studying the
Gobblers.