Farmer Brown's boy saw him, he didn't know what to make of him,
for he had never seen Unc' Billy before.

"Well, well, I wonder what happened to this fellow," said Farmer
Brown's boy, turning Unc' Billy over with the toe of one foot. "He
certainly is dead enough, whatever killed him. I wonder what he was
doing in here."

Then he saw some egg on Unc' Billy's lips. "Ho! ho!" shouted Farmer
Brown's boy. "So you are the thief who has been getting my eggs!" And
picking up Unc' Billy by the tail, he started with him for the house.

As they passed the woodpile, he tossed Unc' Billy on the
chopping-block while he gathered an armful of kindlings to take to the
house. When he turned to pick up Unc' Billy again, Unc' Billy wasn't
there.

Farmer Brown's boy dropped his wood and hunted everywhere, but not a
trace of Unc' Billy could he find.

II

REDDY FOX THINKS HE SEES A GHOST

Reddy Fox came down the Lone Little Path through the Green Forest on
his way to the Green Meadows. He had brushed his red coat until it
shone. His white waistcoat was spotless, and he carried his big tail
high in the air, that it might not become soiled. Reddy was feeling as
fine as he looked. He would have liked to sing, but every time he
tried his voice cracked, and he was afraid that some one would hear
him and laugh at him. If there is one thing that Reddy Fox dislikes
more than another, it is being laughed at.

Reddy chuckled at his thoughts, and what do you think he was thinking
about? Why, about how he had seen Farmer Brown's boy carrying off
Unc' Billy Possum by the tail the afternoon before. He knew how Farmer
Brown's boy had caught Unc' Billy in the hen-house, and with his own
eyes he had seen Unc' Billy carried off. Of course Unc' Billy was
dead. There could be no doubt about it. And Reddy was glad of it. Yes,
Sir, Reddy was glad of it. Unc' Billy Possum had made altogether too
many friends in the Green Forest and on the Green Meadows, and he had
made Reddy the laughing-stock of them all by the way he had dared
Reddy to meet Bowser the Hound, and actually had waited for Bowser
while Reddy ran away.

Reddy remembered that Unc' Billy's hollow tree was not far away. He
would go over that way, just to have another look at it. So over he
went. There stood the old hollow tree, and half way up was the door
out of which Unc' Billy used to look down on him and grin. It was
Reddy's turn to grin now. Presently he sat down with his back