small
fish in the center of the loop. The fish didn't jump much now; it only
wiggled and flapped its tail a little, and that was just what Doctor
Rabbit wanted it to do.

He ran into the thicket where the other end of the line was and waited
for Brushtail the Fox to come along.

As Doctor Rabbit waited and listened he heard footsteps approaching.
He peeped out to see who it was. It wasn't Brushtail at all; it was
Ray Coon. And my, you should have seen Mr. Coon run for that fish when
he saw it!

"Hurrah!" Ray Coon shouted. "Some one has lost a fish. Here's my
breakfast right here!"

And he was just about to pounce upon the fish when he was almost
scared out of his wits by Doctor Rabbit calling out, "Boo! Let that
fish alone, Neighbor! I put it there to catch Brushtail the Fox! Come
here, into the thicket."

And so Ray Coon, looking rather foolish, went into the thicket where
Doctor Rabbit was hiding.

"Keep right still!" Doctor Rabbit whispered to his friend. "I was
going to try to catch old Brushtail all by myself," he continued, "but
now that you have happened along you'd better stay, for I may need
some help."

"How are you going to catch him, Doctor Rabbit?" Ray Coon asked. And
Doctor Rabbit just pointed one foot out toward the loop and the
squirming fish. Then Ray Coon understood, and how he did chuckle! He
was just as much amused as was Doctor Rabbit and they both laughed and
laughed, but they had to be very quiet, of course, because at any
minute Brushtail might come along.

Suddenly Doctor Rabbit peeked out and whispered, "Sh! sh! Keep as
still as anything! There comes old Brushy now. And yes, he's coming
this way!"

BRUSHTAIL THE FOX IS ALMOST CAUGHT

Doctor Rabbit and Ray Coon kept perfectly quiet in the thicket and
watched Brushtail the Fox as he came creeping along. When he saw the
fish lying in that loop, my, how wide Brushtail's eyes did open! The
fish jumped and squirmed just enough to make Brushtail want it very
badly. He was so delighted that he stood up on his hind legs and
danced toward the fish.

"Ha! ha!" he laughed. "It was probably old Bald Eagle who flew over
the woods and dropped his fish! Ha! ha! ha! That's luck for me--a
fine fish for breakfast. And I did not have to get my feet wet to
catch it." Then Brushtail began to sing:

"Great flying Bald Eagle caught a fish,
And flew away to eat him;
But down it fell through green treetops,
And Brushy Fox will cheat him!"