Tommy was greatly excited. But he was hungry, too, "May I eat him
now?" he asked.

"No! Let him go again," his mother commanded. "And see if you can
catch him more quickly next time."

Tommy obeyed. And though he overtook the woodchuck sooner, he was not
so careful to avoid the 'chuck's sharp teeth, and he got a savage nip
right on his nose.

Tommy was surprised. He was so surprised that he dropped the
woodchuck. And you may believe that Mr. Woodchuck lost no time. He
scurried away as fast as his legs would carry him.

Tommy began to whimper. His nose hurt; and he thought he had lost his
dinner, too.

But Mrs. Fox bounded after Mr. Woodchuck and brought him back again.
She made Tommy stop crying. And he had to begin his lesson all over
again.

When Mrs. Fox thought that Tommy had learned enough for that day they
both sat down and made a meal of that unfortunate Mr. Woodchuck. And
Tommy felt that he had already become a mighty hunter. He hadn't the
least doubt that he could go into the woods and catch almost anything
he saw.

We shall see later whether Tommy Fox knew as much as he thought he
did.