they seemed to be in the best of spirits and not at all worried
because food was so scarce. Why? There must be a reason. They must
be getting food of which he knew nothing.

"I'll just keep an eye on them," muttered Old Man Coyote.

So very slyly and cleverly Old Man Coyote followed Granny and Reddy
Fox, taking the greatest care that they should not suspect that he
was doing it. All one night he followed them through the Green
Forest and over the Green Meadows, and when at last he saw them go
home, appearing not at all worried because they had caught nothing,
he trotted off to his own home to do some more thinking.

"They are getting food somewhere, that is sure," he muttered, as he
scratched first one ear and then the other. Somehow he could think
better when he was scratching his ears. "If they don't get it in
the night, and they certainly didn't get anything this night, they
must get it in the daytime. I've done considerable hunting myself
in the daytime, and I haven't once met them in the Green Forest or
seen them on the Green Meadows or up in the Old Pasture. I wonder
if they are stealing Farmer Brown's hens and haven't been found out
yet. I've kept away from there myself, but if they can steal hens
and not be caught, I certainly can. There never was a Fox yet smart
enough to do a thing that a Coyote cannot do if he tries. I think
I'll slip up where I can watch Farmer Brown's and see what is going
on up there. Yes, Sir, that's what I'll do."

With this, Old Man Coyote grinned and then curled himself up for a
short nap, for he was tired.