all were so intent watching Reddy Fox torment the baby brother of
Peter Rabbit that no one had seen Johnny Chuck coming down the Lone
Little Path. And for a few minutes no one recognized the furious
little yellow-brown bundle that suddenly knocked Reddy Fox over and
seized him by the throat. You see it didn't look a bit like Johnny
Chuck. Every hair was standing on end, he was so mad, and this made
him appear twice as big as they had ever seen him before.

"Coward! Coward! Coward!" shrieked Johnny Chuck as he shook Reddy Fox
by the throat. And then began the greatest fight that the Green
Meadows had ever seen.

Now Johnny Chuck is not naturally a fighter. Oh my, no! He is so
good-natured and so sunny-hearted that he seldom quarrels with any one.
But when he has to fight, there isn't a cowardly hair on him, not the
teeniest, weeniest one. No one ever has a chance to cry, "'Fraid cat!
Cry baby!" after Johnny Chuck.

So though, like all the other little meadow people, he was usually just
a little afraid of Reddy Fox, because Reddy is so much bigger, he
forgot all about it as soon as he caught sight of Reddy Fox tormenting
Peter Rabbit's little brother. He didn't stop to think of what might
happen to himself. He didn't stop to think at all. He just gritted
his teeth and in a flash had Reddy Fox on his back.

Such a fight was never seen before on the Green Meadows! Reddy Fox is
a bully and a coward, for he never fights with any one of his own size
if he can help it, but when he has to fight, he fights hard. And he
certainly had to fight now.

"Bully!" hissed Johnny Chuck as with his stout little hind feet he
ripped the bright red coat of Reddy Fox. "You great big bully!"

Over and over they rolled, Johnny Chuck on top, then Reddy Fox on top,
then Johnny Chuck up again, clawing and snarling.

It seemed as if news of the fight had gone over all the Green Meadows,
for the little meadow people came running from every direction--Billy
Mink, Little Joe Otter, Jerry Muskrat, Striped Chipmunk, Jimmy Skunk,
old Mr. Toad. Even Great-Grandfather Frog, who left his big lily pad,
and came hurrying with great jumps across the Green Meadows. They
formed a ring around Reddy Fox and Johnny Chuck and danced with
excitement. And all wanted Johnny Chuck to win.

Peter Rabbit's poor little brother, so sore and lame from the knocking
about from Reddy Fox, and so frightened that he hardly dared breathe,
lay flat on the