XX

THE TRACKS IN THE SNOW


One fine winter's day Fatty Coon came upon the queerest tracks in the
snow. They were huge--a great deal bigger, even, than bear-tracks, which
Fatty had sometimes seen, for once in a while, before the weather grew
too cold, and he fell into his winter's sleep, a bear would come down
into the valley from his home on Blue Mountain.

But these were six times as big as bear tracks. And Fatty felt a shiver
of fear run up and down his back.

He followed the trail a little way. But he was very careful. He was
always ready to scramble up a tree, in case he should suddenly see the
strange animal--or rather, in case the strange animal should see HIM.

The great tracks led straight toward Farmer Green's house. And Fatty did
not want to go there. So he hurried home to ask his mother what he had
found. Mrs. Coon listened to Fatty's story.

"I think it must be the monster that almost caught me in the road last
summer," said Fatty, meaning the automobile that had given him a great
fright. "Maybe he's come back again to catch Farmer Green and his family
... Do you suppose he's eaten them up?"