hole where he might hide; he just had to keep running.

The boy was a good runner, but it stands to reason that he could not
race with a fox!

Not far from the bay there were a number of little cabins, with candle
lights shining through the windows. Naturally the boy ran in that
direction, but he realized that long before he could reach the nearest
cabin the fox would catch up to him.

Once the fox was so close that it looked as if the boy would surely be
his prey, but Nils quickly sprang aside and turned back toward the bay.
By that move the fox lost time, and before he could reach the boy the
latter had run up to two men who were on their way home from work.

The men were tired and sleepy; they had noticed neither boy nor fox,
although both had been running right in front of them. Nor did the boy
ask help of the men; he was content to walk close beside them.

"Surely the fox won't venture to come up to the men," he thought.

But presently the fox came pattering along. He probably counted on the
men taking him for a dog, for he went straight up to them.

"Whose dog can that be sneaking around here?" queried one. "He looks as
though he were ready to bite."

The other paused and glanced back.

"Go along with you!" he said, and gave the fox a kick that sent it to
the opposite side of the road. "What are you doing here?"

After that the fox kept at a safe distance, but followed all the while.

Presently the men reached a cabin and entered it. The boy intended to go
in with them; but when he got to the stoop he saw a big, shaggy
watch-dog rush out from his kennel to greet his master. Suddenly the boy
changed his mind and remained out in the open.

"Listen, watch-dog!" whispered the boy as soon as the men had shut the
door. "I wonder if you would like to help me catch a fox to-night?"

The dog had poor eyesight and had become irritable and cranky from being
chained.

"What, I catch a fox?" he barked angrily. "Who are you that makes fun of
me? You just come within my reach and I'll teach you not to fool with
me!"

"You needn't think that I'm afraid to come near you!" said the boy,
running up to the dog.

When the dog saw him he was so astonished that he could not speak.

"I'm the one they call Thumbietot, who travels with the wild geese,"
said the boy, introducing himself. "Haven't you heard of me?"

"I believe the sparrows have twittered a little about you," the dog
returned. "They say that you have don