Evening star., 1922-09-26
LI1IILESoRlEs L1I
&BEDTInE
Another Step Aside.
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Z
ItSis much the wisest way
Id sidesten trnuhle IL rnIl MAJ

-iowler the Bob Cat.
1t was quite clear that Pricklv
Porky the Porcupine had made up his
mind that Buster Bear intended him
no harm. He started on his way quite
s if there was no such person as
Buster Bear around. 1t was also
clear to the young Fox. who was
watching. that Buster Bear had too
much respect for the little spears of
Prickly Porky to venture near
enough to feel any of them.
The young Fox remained hidden
until Buster Bear had shuffied off out
of sight. The the young Fox started
on after Prickly Porky to find out
where he was going and to learn
more about him if he could. He had
no difficulty in catching up with
rrickly Porky, for no one moves
more slowly. However, the young
Fox took the greatest care not to let
Prickly Porky know that he was be-
ing followed.
They had gone hut a short distance
when the keen eyes of the young Fox
discovered a stranger coming toward
them. He didn't like the looks of
this stranger a bit. HIS head was
rather round and he had a pair of
the most savage-looking eyes the
young Fox had ever seen. He made
no sound as he walked Not a leaf
rustled under his rather big feet.
The young Fox knew without being
told that here was somebody to be
avoided, so he promptly fiattened
himself out under young hemlock
tree. the branches of which swept
the ground.
The stranger. who was none other
than Gowler the Bob Cat. cousin to
Tufty the Lynx had not yet seen
Prickly Porky. but if he kept on as
he was coming they would meet. The
young Fox watched eagerly. Would
this big savage stranger turn aside
as Buster Bear had done?
Just on the edge of little omen
place was a big log. Yowler the Rob
Cat paused there with his front fee'
on the old log. His ears were prlckcd
, forward. They had caught the sound
Of rustling leaves and he was waiting
to see what that sound might mean.
Such look of savage. hungry eager
ness as there was in his eyes, The
young Fox shivered
Then out into the oncn space shur-
fed Prickly Porky. He was headed
straight for that old log. Such
change as came over the face or
| in place was a look of anger terribl"
to see. His ears flattened back. H
drew back his lips so that he showed
! his teeth as he snar!ed and dug his
great claws into that old log. The
| sound of that snarl made more shiv
| ers run all over the young Fox.
Prickly Porky stopped for AN in
stant He hadn't seen Towler. But
now his dull little ewes discovered the
| big Cat. for you know. Yowler be
| longs to the Cat family. right IN
front Of him. The thousand little
spears hidden in Prickly Porkys coa'
seemed to come to life. They stood
out all over just as the hair on the
! tail of Black Pussy the Cat stands
| on end at the sight of a Dog. Then
, Pricklv Porkv moved ahead again.
/ Yowler the Bob Cat tore at the
! old log with his claws and growlei
| and snarled. He was working him
self into a terrible rage. Prickly
| Porky took no notice of It. He shuf-
| fed straight on just as before.
! Yowler waited until Prickly Pork V
was almost to that log. Then spit
| ting and growing he spranC 10 one
side and disappeared. Prfckly Porky
| climbed over the log. stopped long
! enough to sniff at the place where
/ Yowler had been, and then kept on
| his way.
AS for the young Fox. his respect
for Prickly Porky had become quite
! as great as his respect for Jimmy
| Skunk.
| 4 Copyright, 1922 hy T. W. Burgess.)