"No-o. I didn't say that," protested Reddy, looking very uncomfortable.

"But you think it," declared Granny. "Now look here, Mr. Smarty, you do
just as I tell you. You creep back there where you can watch Quacker and
all that happens, and mind that you keep out of his sight. Now go."

Reddy went. There was nothing else to do. He didn't dare disobey.
Granny watched until Reddy had readied his hiding-place. Then what do
you think she did? Why, she walked right out on the little beach just
below Reddy and in plain sight of Quacker! Yes, Sir, that is what she
did!

Then began such a queer performance that it is no wonder that Reddy was
sure Granny had lost her senses. She rolled over and over. She chased
her tail round and round until it made Reddy dizzy to watch her. She
jumped up in the air. She raced back and forth. She played with a bit
of stick. And all the time she didn't pay the least attention to Quacker
the Duck.

Reddy stared and stared. Whatever had come over Granny? She was crazy.
Yes, Sir, that must be the matter. It must be that she had gone without
food so long that she had gone crazy. Poor Granny! She was in her second
childhood. Reddy could remember how he had done such things when he was
very young, just by way of showing how fine he felt. But for a grown-up
Fox to do such things was undignified, to say the least. You know Reddy
thinks a great deal of dignity. It was worse than undignified; it was
positively disgraceful. He did hope that none of his neighbors would
happen along and see Granny cutting up so. He never would hear the end
of it if they did.

Over and over rolled Granny, and around and around she chased her tail.
The snow flew up in a cloud. And all the time she made no sound. Reddy
was just trying to decide whether to go off and leave her until she had
regained her common sense, or to go out and try to stop her, when he
happened to look out in the open water where Quacker was. Quacker was
sitting up as straight as he could. In fact, he had his wings raised to
help him sit up on his tail, the better to see what old Granny Fox was
doing.

"As I live," muttered Reddy, "I believe that fellow is nearer than he
was!"

Reddy crouched lower than ever, and instead of watching Granny he
watched Quacker the Duck.

CHAPTER IV: Quacker The Duck Grows Curious

The most curious thing in the world is curiosity.
--Old Granny Fox.

Old Granny Fox never said a truer thing than that.