Arizona republican., 1922-03-08
eueTER esAR PLAYs A TRIcK


Buster Bear and Jumper the Hare
had had their heads together. This
doesn't mean that they had really
touched heads. oh, my, no! No. in
deedl Jumper is too wise to get so
close to Buster Bear as that. 1t
means that they had made plans to-
gether. II Reddy Fox had known
about those plans Reddy would GER
tainly have kept away from that
part of the Green Forest. But he
didn't know about them. and so he
didn't keep away from that part of
the Green Forest.
You see, it was there that Jumper
the Hare spent most of his time, and
so It was there that Reddy was
spending most of his time now. for
he was bound that he would catch
Jumper to pay him for making him
the laughing stock OF all the little
people OF the Green Forest and the
Green Meadows. At First Reddy had
been afraid, very much afraid. that
he might meet Buster Bear there.
He had kept his eyes wide open for
Buster. for. II the truth be known,
he was as much afraid Of Buster as
Jumper was OF him. But as day
after day he saw nothing OF Buster
he grew careless. lie made up his
mind that Buster had gone back to
the Great Woods from which he had
come and he thought of nothing but
catching Jumper the Hare.
So Reddy, because he is very smart
and sly, spent great deal OF time
looking for the places where Jumper
made his bed and for the places where
he ate. Then he would hide near
one of these and wait patiently for
Jumper TO come. But somehow
Jumper always went TO a place where
Reddy was not hiding. The truth is,
Jumper knew perfectly what Reddy
was doing, and so he never went
twice to the same place. That is. he
never went twice very near together.
If he took nap under a big hemlock
branch and then went out to get a
bite to eat. he would finish his nap
under another tree instead OF going
back to the first one. So. though
Reddy often found places Jumper had
just left and hid beside them patient
~ for Jumper to come back. IL never
was OF the least bit of use.
But after Jumper and Buster Bear
had had their heads together, Jumper
seemed to grow careless. Yes. sir.
that is the way it seemed. Reddy
Fox noticed 1t right away and grinned
wiclSedly. Three times he saw
Jumper doing just in front of a great
fallen tree. Then for a fourth time
he saw Jumper sit in the same place.
BY and by Jumper began to nod. Then
his eyes closed in the sleepiest way.
Reddy grinned and licked his chops.
Jumpers eyes opened. closed again.
opened once more, then closed and
remained closed. Reddy watched a
long time before he stirred. but there
was no sign from Jumper the Hare.
He certainly looked to be fast, very
fast asleep.
Softly, ever so softly. Reddy Fox
tiptoed forward. Jumper did not
move. A few steps nearer. and still
Jumper seemed fast asleep. Reddy
stopped long enough to grin, a
wicked, hungry grin. This time he
would catch Jumper and then he
would see IL the other people would
laugh at ana make fun Of him any
more! Softly, softly. very. very soft
ly, he stole forward until with one
great jump he would be able to le ~
right on poor Jumper. Very. very
carefully Reddy fixed his hind legs
to make the spring and then-well-
then he landed right exactly where
Jumper had been. but wasn't You
see, Jumper had been just pretend
in TO be asleep, and when Reddy had
jumped. he had jumped, too.
Now Jumper had jumped right over
the old tree trunk and Reddy sprang
after him. But Reddy is not quite so
good a jumper as Jumper the Hare,
and while Jumper went clear over the
fallen tree, Reddy landed on top OF II.
meaning to Jump down on the other