Evening star., 1942-03-09
Bedtime Stories
BY THORNTON W. BURGESS.

Redtail the Hawk sat straight and
still on a branch of a big pine tree
on his side of the pile of brush,
under which Peter Rabbit was hid
ing. Because he was high up and
his eyes are sharp, he could see
Old Man Coyote and Reddy and
Granny Fox hiding where each
could watch a different side of the
pile of brush. 1t had been Old Man
Coyotes plan, and when he had
suggested 1t 1t had seemed a very
good plan to Redtail. Peter Rab-
bit couldn't stay forever under that
brush. and when he did come out
one of them would be sure to get
him. A fat rabbit was worth being
patient and waiting a long time for.
In fact, Redtail wouldn't have
minded the long wait at all. but for
Blacky the Crow and Sammy Jay.
For while they screamed them
selves hoarse. You know, when
ever they see Old Man Coyote or
Granny or Reddy Fox, or Redtail
the Hawk they delight IN telling
everybody within hearing. and in
that way often give warning to
other little people. But never be-
fore had they had a chance like
this to make trouble for all four at
once, and they made the most of 1t.
Blacky knew what 1t all meant.
He had seen Reddy Fox chase Peter
under the pile of brush. and he
knew just why Reddy and the
others were hiding now. OF course,
he told Peter all about it. and kept
screaming to Peter to stay where
he was. He didn't do 1t to help
Peter, but to torment the others.
Sammy Jay did the same thing.
But Blacky and Sammy haven't a
great deal Of patience, and after a
while they grew tired of staying in
one place, so away they flew to see
what other mischief they could get
into. They felt sure that Peter was
so badly frightened that he would
rot try to come out for a long time.
and when they grew tired OF other
sport they would come back. Red
tail watched them go and sighed a
great sigh of relief. They were very
disturbing. those two smart TEL
lows, and he wished he was smart
enough to catch them.
With these two noise makers out
of the way. the Green Forest gre"
very still. Redtail sat so still that
he looked almost like part OF the
tree itself. He wasn't asleep. on.
nv. no! His keen eyes were VIDE
open. watching that brush pile FOR
some sign of Peter Rabbit. And
as he watched he began to think.
TT NAV be that Peter will stay
there all the rest of the afternoon.
thought he. IF he stays until after
dark, can't catch him. for my eyes
are for seeing only in the daytime.
will have to go home and that
will mean that Granny and Reddy
Fox or Old Man Coyote will get him.
If I can't have him myself, don't
want any of them to. They have
hunted so much on the Green
Meadows and in the Green Forest
that 1t is getting hard work for an
honest Hawk to find enough to eat.
Ha, I have an idea! I will tell
Hooty the Owl, and he can take my
place. He can see as we'll at night
as I can in the daytime"
So Just before jolly, round, red
Mr.. Sun went to bed behind the
Purple Hills, Redtail few away. Old
Man Coyote watched him go and
grinned. Old Man Coyote Is very
sly and clever. He had known all
the time that Redtail would have
to go when 1t grew dark and he had
planned to let Peter Rabbit know
that he was watching from that
side, and then very softly creep
around to the side Redtail had left.
He thought Peter would think that
side unmatched, and so would try
to get out that way.
So Old Man Coyote grinned as
he watched Redtail fly away. He
waited a little while to be sure that
he was not coming back. Then he
made a little noise so that Peter
would hear him. After that he
prepared to steal softly around 10
the side Redtail had left unguarded.
Just as he started he looked over
at the tree Redtail had left. Then
he stopped, rubbed his eyes. and
looked again. Some one was on
guard there. 1t was-yes, 1t was
Hooty the OWL Old Man Coyote
ground his teeth. He had given
himself away to Peter Rabbit and
now some one else was watching
where he had meant to watch. He
had been fooled by Redtail the
Hawk.