Evening star., 1940-07-12
Bedtime Stories
By THORNTON w. BURGESS.

Drummer the Woodpecker was
pounding out his danger signal so
fast and so hard that his red head
flew back and forth almost too fast
to see. Rat-a-tat-a-tat-tat, beat
Drummer on the old tree trunk on
the edge of the Green Forest. When
he stopped for breath he looked
down into the scowling face of
Farmer Browns boy, who was hid
ing behind the old tree trunk.
Drummer didn't like the looks of
the scowl-not a bit. And he didn't
like the looks of the gun which
Farmer Browns boy had. He knew
that Farmer Browns boy was hiding
there to shoot Reddy Fox, but
Drummer was beginning to be afraid
that Farmer Browns boy might
guess what all that drumming meant
that it was a warning to Reddy
Fox. And If Farmer Browns boy
did guess that, why-why-anyway
on the other side of the tree there
was better place to drum. So
Drummer the Woodpecker crept
around to the other side of the tree
and IN a minute was drumming
harder than ever. Whenever ne
stopped for breath he looked out
over the Green Meadows to see if
Reddy Fox had heard his warning.
But If Reddy had heard he hadn't
needed. just to show off before all
the little meadow and forest people
Reddy had waited until Bowser the
Hound had almost reached him.
Then, with saucy flirt of his tail,
Reddy Fox had started to show how
fast he can run, and that Is very
fast indeed. It made Bowser the
Hound seem very slow as, with his
nose to the ground, he came racing
after Reddy, making a tremendous
noise with his great voice.
Now Reddy Fox had grown as
careless as he had grown bold. In
stead of looking sharply ahead, he
looked this way and that way to see
who was. watching and admiring
! MIN. So he took no note of where
he was going and started straight
for the old tree trunk on which
Drummer the Woodpecker was
pounding out his warning of danger
Now Reddy Fox has sharp eyes
and very quick ears. My, my, in
deed he has! But just now Reddy
was as deaf as if he had cotton
stuffed in his ears. He was chuck
ling to himself to think how he was
going to fool Bowser the Hound and
how smart every one would think
him, and then, all of a sudden, he
heard the Observation-Disclosures OF
Drummer the Woodpecker, and knew
that this meant danger"
For just a little wee second it
seemed to Reddy Fox that his heart
stopped beating. He couldn't stop
running, for he had let Bowser the
Hound get too close for that Reddy's
sharp eyes saw Drummer the Wood
pecker near the top of the old tree
trunk, and that Drummer seemed
to be looking down below. Reddy
Fox gave one quick look at the foot
OF the old tree trunk and saw a gun
pointed at him and behind the gun
the freckled face of Farmer Browns
boy. Reddy Fox gave a little gasp
OF fright and turned so suddenly
that he almost fell fiat. Then he
began to run as never in his life
had he run before. 1t seemed as if
his flying feet hardly touched the
grass. His eyes were popping out
with fright as with every jump he
tried to run just a wee bit faster.
Bang! Bang! Two flashes of fire
and two puffs of smoke darted from
behind the old tree trunk. Drum
mer the Woodpecker gave a fright
ened scream and few deep into the
Green Forest. Peter Rabbit fiat
tened himself under a friendly
bramble bush. Johnny Chuck dived
head first down his doorway.
Reddy Fox gave yelp, a shrill
little yelp of pain, and suddenly be-
gan to 60 lame. But Farmer Brown S
boy didn't know that. He thought
he had missed, and he growled to
himself: I'll get that fox yet for
stealing my pet chicken!"