Green's dog was close behind him.




X

MRS. FOX OUTWITS DOG SPOT


Poor Tommy Fox! How he wished that he had obeyed his mother, and kept
away from Farmer Green's hen-house! Now Farmer Green's dog Spot was
chasing him. Tommy could hear him baying joyfully as he followed. But
you may be sure that Tommy was not joyful. He was terribly frightened.
He could think of nothing to do except to run, run, run! as fast as he
could go. He was headed straight for home, and he only hoped that he
would get there before the dog Spot caught him.

Now, Tommy was doing just about the worst thing he could do. He never
once jumped sideways, or ran around in a circle. And though he might
have waded a little way in the shallow brook in the meadow, where Spot
would have lost his trail, Tommy used the bridge to get across the
stream; so the dog Spot had no trouble at all in following him. And
Spot kept drawing nearer and nearer.

It happened that Mrs. Fox heard the baying of the dog. And she knew
what Spot was saying. He was crying--"I've almost got him! I've almost
got him!"

A shiver passed over Mrs. Fox; for she thought at once of Tommy. He