ere must be
something the matter with her.

Quacker began to get excited. He couldn't keep his eyes off Old Granny
Fox. He began to swim nearer. He wanted to see better. He quite forgot
she was a Fox. She moved so fast that she was just a queer red spot on
the beach. Whatever she was doing was very curious and very exciting. He
swam nearer and nearer. The excitement was catching. He began to swim in
circles himself. All the time he drew nearer and nearer to the shore. He
didn't have the least bit of fear. He was just curious. He wanted to see
better.

All the time Granny was cutting up her antics, she was watching Quacker,
though he didn't suspect it. As he swam nearer and nearer to the shore,
Granny rolled and tumbled farther and farther back. At last Quacker was
close to the shore. If he kept on, he would be right on the land in a
few minutes. And all the time he stared and stared. No thought of danger
entered his head. You see, there was no room because it was so filled
with curiosity.

"In a minute more I'll have him," thought Granny, and whirled faster
than ever. And just then something happened.

CHAPTER V: Reddy Fox Is Afraid To Go Home

Yes, Sir, a chicken track is good to see, but
it often puts nothing but water in my mouth.
--Old Granny Fox.

Reddy Fox thought of that saying many times as he hunted through the
Green Forest that night, afraid to go home. You see, he had almost dined
on Quacker the Duck over at the Big River that day and then hadn't, and
it was all his own fault. That was why he was afraid to go home. From
his hiding-place on the bank he had watched Quacker swim in and in until
he was almost on the shore where old Granny Fox was whirling and rolling
and tumbling about as if she had entirely lost her senses. Indeed, Reddy
had been quite sure that she had when she began. It wasn't until he saw
that curiosity was drawing Quacker right in so that in a minute or two
Granny would be able to catch him, that he understood that Granny was
anything but crazy, and really was teaching him a new trick as well as
trying to catch a dinner.

When he realized this, he should have been ashamed of himself for
doubting the smartness of Granny and for thinking that he knew all there
was to know. But he was too much excited for any such thoughts. Nearer
and nearer to the shore came Quacker, his eyes fixed on the red,
whirling form of Granny. Reddy's own eyes gleamed with excitement. Would
Qua