[Illustration: There all the way from Farmer Brown's hen-house was a
broad trail in the smooth white snow.]

Unc' Billy looked behind him, and he turned pale. Yes, Sir, Unc' Billy
Possum turned pale! There, all the way from Farmer Brown's hen-house,
was a broad trail in the smooth white snow, where he had plowed his
way through. If Farmer Brown's boy should come out to look at his
traps, he would see that track at once, and all he would have to do
would be to follow it until it led him to Unc' Billy.

"Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Whatever did Ah leave the hen-house for?" wailed
Unc' Billy.

His wits were all wide awake now. It wouldn't do to go back. Farmer
Brown's boy would see that he had gone back, and then he would hunt
that hen-house through until he found Unc' Billy. No, there was
nothing to do but to go on, and trust that Farmer Brown's boy was so
snowed in and would be kept so busy shovelling out paths, that he
would forget all about looking at his traps. Unc' Billy drew a long
breath and began to wade ahead toward the Green Forest.

"If Ah only had snowshoes!" he panted. "If Ah only had snowshoes like
Mrs. Grouse."




XXI