went home to think about what he could do. He didn't care to ask his
mother's advice, because he didn't want her to know that Mr. Woodchuck
had got away from him. But he hoped to find some way in which he could
catch the old gentleman.




VIII

SOMETHING MAKES TOMMY VERY PROUD


Tommy Fox could think of nothing but Mr. Woodchuck. He thought there
could be no use in going back to the hole beneath the big oak in the
pasture until the next day, because Mr. Woodchuck would probably be
afraid that Tommy was waiting for him to come out. Yes--Tommy decided
that Mr. Woodchuck would stay in his house down among the roots of the
big tree and not show himself again until he felt quite sure that his
enemy had grown tired of watching and had given up the idea of
catching him.

But Tommy guessed that by another day old Mr. Woodchuck would be so
hungry that he would have to go out of doors again to get something to
eat. And Tommy Fox could hardly wait for the night to pass. But
another day came at last; and it found Tommy up and hurrying to Farmer
Green's back-pasture, where Mr. Woodchuck lived. It was just growing
light; and there was a heavy dew upon the grass, which Tommy didn't
like at all, because he just hated to get his feet wet.