Evening star., 1920-04-06
UnIILE10RE3 UnILE
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS
Reddy Fox Becomes Very
Friendly.
Don't trust a Fox whate'er you do;
His friendship you are bound to rue.

HIS frlenQSn1p you are DOunQ 10 rue y
Every morning for a week shortly
after sun-up. Reddy Fox called on
Johnny Chuck. He always appeared
openly. He took the greatest care
never to appear to be trying to steal up
without being seen. He would come
trotting across the Green Meadows
right in plain sight of Johnny sitting
on his doorstep. He would stop a
short distance away and sit down.
Always he grinned. with what was in
tended to be a very friendly grin.
With all his smartness Reddy never
once thought that that grin of his
showed all his long teeth and that
those teeth were anything but friendly
looking. Then he would tell Johnny
all the news of the Green Forest and
the Green Meadows. He would inquire
after the health of Polly CAack. Some
times he would tell Johnny Of places
where the sweet clover was coming up
very thick. Always he wa0 os friendly
as he knew how to be.
Once. as he sat talking to Johnny
Chuck. he saw Redtail the Hawk
headed that way. He said nothing
until he saw Redtail make ready to
swoop down on Johnny Chuck. Then
he barked a sharp warning and
chuckled to himself as he saw Johnny's
black heels disappear through his door,
way. He didn't mind in the least the
anger of Redtail. In fact. it rather
tickled him. You see, if Redtail had
caught Johnny. why. of course, he would
have cheated Reddy out Of that dinner
he hoped to get some day. Also. Reddy
hoped that Johnny Chuck would be
grateful and so would come to fully
trust him.
Johnny Chuck appeared to think that
Reddy was his friend. but all the
time the wits in that funny little head
of his were very active. Johnny and
Polly talked the matter over. IT Won
der" said Johnny. "why Reddy Fox
has suddenly become SO friendly. He
made us trouble enough when we
lived up in the Old Orchard, goodness
knows. but now he is just as friendly
as he can be. 1 never saw any one
more polite. He always asks after.
your health. and whenever he finds
new patch of clover he tells us where
it is and how 1 can get there. But I
don't trust him, Polly. No. don't
trust him"
II should hope not" retorted Pollv.
He is friendly because he knows he
can't catch either of us as things are
now, and he can't dig us out But /
tell you what it is. Johnny, il he
should once get between YOU and the
doorway of our home you would soon
see that all this friendliness is mt
on"
II know it," said Johnny. He isn't
fooling me bit. He is trying to get
me to trust him. and when / Johnnv
Chuck, get to the point of trustinp q
fox 1 will deserve to be served nm for
"A fox dinner. Just the same I wish 7
knew just what is going on in that
head of his. He has plan Of sonoe
sort. and you and ]. Polly, have got
to be twice as watchful' as IL he were
not friendly at all. I've been studvinr
and studying and studying what he
can possibly do to catch me. but as
long as / sit on my doorsten 7 dom
see how he possibly can catch me-"
Polly looked thoughtful. and oh.
came over and whispered in Johnny
Chuck's ear as if she were afraid tha,
down there. inside their own home IL
wasn't safe to speak aloud. Jobnny's
eyes snapped. That's it. Polly ;" he
said That's it. One of these ene
mornings he will hide close tn NV danr re
way before l come up in the mornine
so as to spring on me and catch s ,ns
the moment l come out. Wen fnnI
him, Polly. We certainly will fool hir, Ui
Wen have good laugh at Reddv
Fox"
Copyright. 1920. by T. W. Burr..,,