etter. But Doctor Rabbit gave Thomas three big black pills
and told him to swallow them all at once. Thomas did, and they were so
bitter he tried to spit them out after he had swallowed them, but he
could not do it, of course, and so they went right to work curing him.

"You will be quite well tomorrow, Thomas," Doctor Rabbit said
cheerfully, and the whole Woodchuck family breathed easier.

Then Mrs. Woodchuck said, "Doctor, I hear two terrible foxes have come
into our woods."

Doctor Rabbit frowned at Mrs. Woodchuck to make her keep still about
the foxes near Thomas, for fear he might be frightened. He was always
very careful about this when visiting his patients. "Well, I must be
going. Goodbye, Thomas," Doctor Rabbit said, just as if he had not
heard Mrs. Woodchuck.

Then when he was out in the kitchen he whispered very low to Father
and Mother Woodchuck: "Yes, two terrible foxes have come into the Big
Green Woods, but I did not want Thomas to hear. But don't you worry,
Mrs. Woodchuck," Doctor Rabbit went on, because he saw how troubled
she looked, "don't you worry a bit, I thought of a scheme to get rid
of Ki-yi Coyote and also of Tom Wildcat, and if Farmer Roe does not
get rid of Mr. and Mrs. Brushtail, I will. Good morning!" And Doctor
Rabbit slipped out of the door and was gone.

LISTENING TO THE BRUSHTAILS

It was a mighty good thing that Doctor Rabbit kept a sharp lookout on
his way home from the Woodchuck house. If he had not been watching he
might have run right into Mr. and Mrs. Brushtail, who stood talking
behind a large elm tree.

Doctor Rabbit heard them and saw them at the same time. He was so
close that he was afraid even to run. So he crept noiselessly under a
dense leafy thicket near at hand. Doctor Rabbit was pretty badly
scared, because there was not a briar patch anywhere near. So he did
the safest thing. He crouched down on the ground, kept still, and
listened.

Mr. and Mrs. Brushtail, talking behind the tree, never dreamed, of
course, that there was anybody close by listening. They talked pretty
softly, but Doctor Rabbit was so near that he could hear every word
they said. Brushtail was talking. "Yes," he said, "that dog has a very
sharp nose, and he is bound to find our den sooner or later. So I
think, Mrs. Fox, we had better move you and the children clear out of
these woods. I'll take you to a new den in the woods away off up the
river. There is not much in the way of rabbits