Tommy did not go near Mr. Woodchuck's hole. Although he was just a
young fox, he was too wise to do that. He knew that if he went nosing
around Mr. Woodchuck's dooryard the old gentleman would smell his
tracks as soon as he poked his head out. So Tommy was careful to keep
away from the hole where he had dug so hard the day before. He sneaked
around until he had passed Mr. Woodchuck's house; and then he crept up
behind the big oak close by. And there he waited.

Tommy kept smiling. He was _so_ pleased, because his plan was working
out very well. The wind blew towards him, and Tommy saw that Mr.
Woodchuck wouldn't be able to smell him when the old fellow came up
into the open air.

For a long time Tommy waited there. He kept very still. And he stayed
hidden behind the tree, with only one eye peeping round the tree-
trunk, so that he could watch for Mr. Woodchuck. He was very patient--
was Tommy. You have to be patient, you know, when you are hunting. He
crouched behind the tree for at least an hour, and never once took his
eye off that hole. And at last he saw Mr. Woodchuck's nose come
popping out.

If Tommy hadn't been watching very closely he wouldn't have seen it at
all; for Mr. Woodchuck just stuck his head up for a second, took one
quick look all around, and jumped back again. He hadn't seen anything
to frighten him. But he thought it best to be very careful.

Tommy waited. And pretty soon that small nose came sticking out again.
This time it stayed longer. And to Tommy's great delight, in another
minute he saw Mr. Woodchuck climb up and take a good look all about.