ttle black paw hard.

"Ouch!" cried Reddy Fox, pulling his little black paw out of the water.
And all the little Trouts laughed at Reddy Fox.

Just then along came Billy Mink.

"Hello, Reddy Fox!" said Billy Mink. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to catch a fish," said Reddy Fox.

"Pooh! That's easy!" said Billy Mink. "I'll show you how."

So Billy Mink lay down on the Big Rock side of Reddy Fox and peeped over
into the Dear Little Pool where all the little Trouts were laughing at
Reddy Fox and having such a good time. But Billy Mink took care, such
very great care, that Mr. Trout and Mrs. Trout should not see him
peeping over into the Dear Little Pool.

When Billy Mink saw all those little Trouts playing in the Dear Little
Pool he laughed. "You count three, Reddy Fox," said he, "and I'll show
you how to catch a fish."

"One!" said Reddy Fox, "Two! Three!"

Splash! Billy Mink had dived head first into the Dear Little Pool. He
spattered water way up onto Reddy Fox, and he frightened old Mr. Frog
so that he fell over backwards off the lily pad where he was taking a
morning nap right into the water. In a minute Billy Mink climbed out on
the other side of the Dear Little Pool and sure enough, he had caught
one of the little Trouts.

"Give it to me," cried Reddy Fox.

"Catch one yourself," said Billy Mink. "Old Grandpa Mink wants a fish
for his dinner, so I am going to take this home. You're afraid, Reddy
Fox! 'Fraid-cat! Fraid-cat!"

Billy Mink shook the water off of his little brown coat, picked up the
little Trout and ran off home.

Reddy Fox lay down again on the Big Rock and peeped into the Dear Little
Pool. Not a single Trout could he see. They were all hiding safely with
Mr. and Mrs. Trout. Reddy Fox watched and watched. The sun was warm, the
Laughing Brook was singing a lullaby and--what do you think? Why, Reddy
Fox went fast asleep on the edge of the great Big Rock.

By and by Reddy Fox began to dream. He dreamed that he had a nice little
brown coat that was waterproof, just like the little brown coat that
Billy Mink wore. Yes, and he dreamed that he had learned to swim and to
catch fish just as Billy Mink did. He dreamed that the Dear Little
Pool was full of little Trouts and that he was just going to catch one
when--splash! Reddy Fox had rolled right off of the Big Rock into the
Dear Little Pool.

The water went into the eyes of Reddy Fox, and it went up his nose
and he swallowed so much