The Green Meadows were thrown into great excitement late one
afternoon, just as the black shadows came creeping down from the
Purple Hills. Reddy Fox brought the news, and when he told it he
grinned as if he enjoyed it and was glad of it.

"Old Billy Possum is dead. I know it because I saw Farmer Brown's boy
carrying him home by the tail," said Reddy. "So you see he wasn't so
smart as you thought he was," he added maliciously.

No one really believed Reddy Fox, for every one knows that he seldom
tells the truth, but when Jimmy Skunk came mournfully down the Crooked
Little Path and said that it was true, they had to believe it. Then
everybody began to talk about Unc' Billy and say nice things about him
and tell how much they had enjoyed having him live in the Green Forest
since he came up from "Ol' Virginny." That is, everybody but Reddy Fox
said so. Reddy said that it served Unc' Billy right, because he was of
no account, anyway. Then everybody began to hoot and hiss at Reddy
until he was glad enough to slink away.

And while they were all saying such nice things about him, Unc' Billy
Possum was having an exciting adventure. For once he had been too
bold. He had gone up to Farmer Brown's hen-house before dark. Jimmy
Skunk had tried to stop him, but he had heeded Jimmy Skunk not at
all. He had said that he was hungry and wanted an egg, and he couldn't
wait till dark to get it. So off he had started, for Unc' Billy Possum
is very headstrong and obstinate.

He had reached the hen-house and slipped inside without being seen.
The nests were full of eggs, and soon Unc' Billy was enjoying his
feast so that he forgot to keep watch. Suddenly the door opened, and