ground under a little bush and was forgotten by all but
the Merry Little Breezes, who covered him up with some dead grass, and
kissed him and whispered to him not to be afraid now. How Peter
Rabbit's little brother did hope that Johnny Chuck would win! His
great, big, round, soft eyes were wide with terror as he thought of
what might happen to him if Reddy Fox should whip Johnny Chuck.

But Reddy Fox wasn't whipping Johnny Chuck. Try as he would, he could
not get a good hold on that round, fat, little body. And Johnny
Chuck's stout claws were ripping his red coat and white vest and Johnny
Chuck's sharp teeth were gripping him so that they could not be shaken
loose. Pretty soon Reddy Fox began to think of nothing but getting
away. Every one was shouting for Johnny Chuck. Every time Reddy Fox
was underneath, he would hear a great shout from all the little meadow
people, and he knew that they were glad.

Now Johnny Chuck was round and fat and rolly-poly, and when one is
round and fat and rolly-poly, one's breath is apt to be short. So it
was with Johnny Chuck. He had fought so hard that his breath was
nearly gone. Finally he loosed his hold on Reddy Fox for just a second
to draw in a good breath. Reddy Fox saw his chance, and, with a quick
pull and spring, he broke away.

How all the little meadow people did scatter! You see they were very
brave, very brave indeed, so long as Johnny Chuck had Reddy Fox down,
but now that Reddy Fox was free, each one was suddenly afraid and
thought only of himself. Jimmy Skunk knocked Jerry Muskrat flat in his
hurry to get away. Billy Mink trod on Great-Grandfather Frog's big
feet and didn't even say "Excuse me." Striped Chipmunk ran head first
into a big thistle and squealed as much from fear as pain.

But Reddy Fox paid no attention to any of them. He just wanted to get
away, and off he started, limping as fast as he could go up the Lone
Little Path. Such a looking sight! His beautiful red coat was in
tatters. His face was scratched. He hobbled as he ran. And just as
he broke away, Johnny Chuck made a grab and pulled a great mouthful of
hair out of the splendid tail Reddy Fox was so proud of.

When the little meadow people saw that Reddy Fox was actually running
away, they stopped running themselves, and all began to shout: "Reddy
Fox is a coward and a bully! Coward! Coward!" Then they crowded
around Johnny Chuck and all began talking at once about his great fi