"Oh, dear!" Tommy cried. "Don't you know that the river is frozen
solid, Mother? The dog can follow us across it, as easy as anything."

"Stop fussing!" Mrs. Fox said, looking over her shoulder at Tommy.
"We're not going to the river. You just mind me and you'll see, in a
few minutes, that we can fool that dog." And she kept on running, with
Tommy right at her heels.




XIX

TOMMY FOX LEARNS A NEW TRICK


Now, there was a road that ran through the valley, along the bank of
Swift River. And when Mrs. Fox reached it, with Tommy close behind
her, she turned again--this time to the left--and ran along in the
beaten track which the horses and sleighs had made.

Tommy Fox thought it very strange that his mother should lead him to
the road, where they were sure to find people driving. Tommy followed
her. But he was very unhappy. They swung into the road just ahead of a
farmer, who was driving along in a sleigh. The sleigh-bells tinkled
merrily as the horse trotted smartly down the road. But the jingling
of the bells did not sound at all pleasant to Tommy Fox. It only
frightened him all the more.

The farmer in the sleigh did not see Tommy and his mother, for the