Evening star., 1938-12-03
Bedtime Stories
By THORNTON w. BURGESS.


Old Mother Mature Is very good
to her children and when they get
hurt she heals their wounds quickly.
Within few days after his fight
with Yowler the Bobcat, when he
wAs so badly clawed and bitten.
Bowser was feeling quite himself
again. So, when one morning
Farmer Browns Boy came out of
the house with a gun in his hands
and whistled to him, Bowser barked
joyfully and jumped about his
master as If he were quite crazy.
You see it was a long, long time
since he had seen a gun in the
hands of Farmer Browns Boy. The
sight of 1t recalled to BoWser the
old days when he and his master
had so often hunted over the Green
Meadows and through the Green
Forest. You know there is nothing
Bowser so loves as d good hunt.
He never had been able to under
stand why Farmer Browns Boy had
put his gun away and given up
hunting.
Now" thought Bowser, I'VE shall
have another glorious hunt for
Reddy Fox. If I can once find his
trail, I'll drive him around to where
my master can shoot him." and he
started to race ahead to hunt for
Reddy's trail. A sharp whistle
stopped him. He looked back, wag-
ging his tail
You come in here at my heels,
sir" commanded Farmer Browns
Boy, and Bowser obeyed as he had
been taught to do. He didn't UNDER
stand it, but he obeyed.
Through the Old Orchard toward
the Green Forest they went, Bowser
shifting and snuff1ng. in the grass
eagerly. Near the edge of the Old
Orchard he caught whiff of scent
which told him that Reddy Fox had
been along there some time during
the night before. Instantly Bowser
stopped and with eager little w1ines
began to run this way and that way
with his nose to the ground trying
to find out which way Reddy had
gone. A sharp command from
Farmer Browns Boy bade him come
on.
Bowser stopped shifting and snuff
ing and obediently followed his
master. But BoWser was sorely
puzzled. He knew that Farmer
Browns Boy had known that he
had found a trace of Reddy Fox,
yet here they were going straight
into the Green Forest. It was clear
that Farmer Borwn's Boy was not
going to hunt Reddy Fox. Bowser
was disappointed, but the sight
OF the terrible gun on the shoulder
of Farmer Browns Boy relieved him
a little. They must be going to
hunt some one or that gun would
have been left at home, so he would
try to be patient until he should
find out who that some one was.
Deeper and deeper into the Green
Forest his master led the way.
Presently Bowser began to grow un-
easy. The farther they went the
more uneasy he grew. You see they
were getting nearer and nearer the
place where a few days before Bow
ser had been SO scratched and Bit
ten by YoWler the Bobcat He had
no desire to meet Yowler again. A
dreadful thought popped into his
head. Could it be that it was Yowler
himself Farmer Browns Boy meant
to hunt?
Presently Farmer Browns Boy
ordered Bowser ahead. 60 find
him, Bowser! Sic him." he COM
manded.
In the JOY of being ordered to
hunt Bowser bounded ahead. He
didn't know whose trail he was to
look for, but he was TO hunt for
some one. Perhaps he would find
the trail of old Granny Fox or the
trail Of Jumper the Hare. He be-
gan to run this way and that way
shifting eagerly among the leaves.
He had quite forgotten Yowler the
Bobcat.
So they went on for some little
distance, Bowser eagerly hunting for
the trail Of some one, any one, who
would leave scent he could follow
with his wonderful nose. And then
suddenly he came on a trail, a
fresh trail, the strong scent from
which filled his nose. But instead
of opening his mouth and sending
his great voice rolling through the
Green Forest as he usually does
Bowser stopped. The hair on his
neck stood up in stiff little ridge
He growled softly, then he delib-
erately turned and with his tail be-
tween his legs sneaked back to his
master and crept behind him.
(CopyfIght 1887