y
Fox running along the edge of the Green Forest and every few minutes
stopping to chuckle and listen to Bowser the Hound trying to pick out
the trail Reddy had made so hard to follow by his twists and turns. And
he saw something else, did Ol' Mistah Buzzard. It looked to him very
much like the barrel of a gun sticking out from behind an old tree just
ahead of Reddy.

"Ah reckon it's just like Ah said: Reddy Fox is gwine to meet trouble
right smart soon," muttered Ol' Mistah Buzzard.

VI. Drummer the Woodpecker Drums in Vain

Once upon a time, before he had grown to think himself so very, very
smart, Reddy Fox would never, never have thought of running without
watching out in every direction. He would have seen that thing that
looked like the barrel of a gun sticking out from behind the old tree
toward which he was running, and he would have been very suspicious,
very suspicious indeed. But now all Reddy could think of was what a
splendid chance he had to show all the little meadow and forest people
what a bold, smart fellow he was.

So once more Reddy sat down and waited until Bowser the Hound was almost
up to him. Just then Drummer the Woodpecker began to make a tremendous
noise--rat-a-tat-tat-tat, rat-a-tat-tat-tat, rat-a-tat-tat-tat! Now
everybody who heard that rat-a-tat-tat-tat knew that it was a danger
signal. Drummer the Woodpecker never drums just that way for pleasure.
But Reddy Fox paid no attention to it. He didn't notice it at all. You
see, he was so full of the idea of his own smartness that he didn't have
room for anything else.

"Stupid thing!" said Drummer the Woodpecker to himself. "I don't know
what I am trying to warn him for, anyway. The Green Meadows and the
Green Forest would be better off without him, a lot better off! Nobody
likes him. He's a dreadful bully and is all the time trying to catch or
scare to death those who are smaller than he. Still, he is so handsome!"
Drummer cocked his head on one side and looked over at Reddy Fox.

Reddy was laughing to see how hard Bowser the Hound was working to
untangle Reddy's mixed-up trail.

"Yes, Sir, he certainly is handsome," said Drummer once more.

Then he looked down at the foot of the old tree on which he was sitting,
and what he saw caused Drummer to make up his mind. "I surely would miss
seeing that beautiful red coat of his! I surely would!" he muttered. "If
he doesn't hear and heed now, it won't be my fault!" Then Drummer the
Wo