Evening star., 1922-09-29
lI1IILE&oR!Es
%rbEDTlriE.
The Young Fox Is More Puz'
zIed Than Ever.
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Who seeks for knowledge. at each turn
Discovers something he can learn.

Young Fox.
Creeping along under the big ferns
that grow beside the Laughing Brook.
doing his best to keep out of sight of
any one who might be about, the
young Fox slowly and softly made his
way around the bend in the Laughing
Brook. There before him was a big
pool. 1t was very much such a pool
as the one at which he had left Prickly
Porky the Porcupine feasting on lily
pads. 1t was a deep pool and on the
other side the bank was steep and
high. A big white birch tree leaned
out over it. At the other end the wa
ter of the Laughing Brook fell into 1t
over some rocks, splashing as it fell.
The young Fox crouched under some
big ferns, and looked and looked and
looked. trying to see what could have
made those spla shes he had heard. But
all was quiet and peaceful there in the
big pool. The young Fox was more
puzzled than ever.
For a long time he lay perfectly still
under the ferns. Not since he had
come in sight of that pool had he
heard one of those splasheS. 81 know
! heard them" said he to himself. MY
ears may make mistakes sometimes,
but know they didn't this time.
pool. i am going to find out what it
was if ] have to stay here the rest of
the day.
But the young Fox didn't have to
stay there the rest of that day. His
sharp eyes caught a moveIhent on the
top of the steep bank across from him.
A brown head appeared at the top of
the bank, and then. without any warm
ing. an astonishing thing happened.
long. brown form. that seemed to
have no legs at all, shot head first
down that bank and into the water
with little splash. 1t was the same
kind of splash that had been puZ-
zling the young Fox so. He was SO
surprised that he stared at that bank
with his eyes and his mouth wide
open, and quite forgot to look for the
one who had slid down that bank.
When he did think to look no one
was to be seen. The pool was as quiet
and peaceful as ever.
We'll, I never" exclaimed the young
Fox to himself and rubbed his eyes.
Somebody certainly tumbled down
that bank. They must have got too
enear the edge"
He looked back uD at the top Of the
bank. He was just in time to see that
brown head appear there again. Then
doWILIthe bank shot that same brown
FORM which seemed to have no legs,
and splashcd into the water again.
'
this time he was smart enough to
keep his eyes on the water. Suddenly
a brown head popped up on his side,
almost under him. and began to move
swiftly across to the other side.
At Il place where the bank was low
,, a long, brown person, with short legs
and a round tail. quite thick at the
upper end and tapering toward the
| tip. scrambled out and disappeared
among the ferns. A moment later lie
appeared at the top of that bank and
orce more shot down into the water
! This time the young Fox saw that the
reason he had seen no legs before
was because this strange person had
hert the fore feet back against his
body while his hind feet were straight
out behind him as he slid down on his
stomach.
The young Fox knew now that this
strange person had not slipped and
fallen down that bank. but had slid
down purposely. "Of all queer things"
he exclaimed. What does he do that
for? I never heard OF such a thing,
No, sir never heard Of such thing.
He must be crazy.
copsfighs Is:... by T. ". Burgess)