"No one will ever think to look in that hollow stump," thought Blacky,
"and I certainly will not tell any one. Reddy has earned that dinner.
Now I think I'll go get something to eat myself."
At that very instant Blacky's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of a gray form
with broad wings, and in a perfect panic of fear Blacky began to fly as
fast as he knew how for a thick spruce-tree not far away. He plunged in
among the branches and hid in the thickest part he could find. With
little shivers of fear running all over him, he peeked out and watched
that big gray form. On broad wings it sailed over to that hollow stump.
Two long legs with great curving claws reached down in, and a moment
later that fat hen was disappearing over the tree tops. Blacky sighed
with relief.
[Illustration: ON BROAD WINGS IT SAILED OVER TO THAT HOLLOW STUMP. _Page
199._]
"It's a lucky thing for me that robber, Mr. Goshawk, saw Reddy hide that
fat hen," muttered Blacky. "If he hadn't, he might have caught me, for I
didn't see him at all."
CHAPTER XLII
ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL
When things go wrong, just patient be
Until the end you plainly see.
For often things that seem all bad
Will end by making all hands glad.
_Bowser the Hound._
Reddy Fox, trotting homeward, had nothing but bitterness in his heart,
and nothing at all in his stomach.
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