Old Granny Fox | Page 4

to see what old Granny
Fox was doing.
"As I live," muttered Reddy, "I believe that fellow is nearer than he
was!"
Reddy crouched lower than ever, and instead of watching Granny he
watched Quacker the Duck.

CHAPTER IV
: Quacker The Duck Grows Curious
The most curious thing in the world is curiosity. - Old Granny Fox.
Old Granny Fox never said a truer thing than that. It is curious, very
curious, how sometimes curiosity will get the best of even the wisest
and most sensible of people. Even Old Granny Fox herself has been
known to be led into trouble by it. We expect it of Peter Rabbit, but
Peter isn't a bit more curious than some others of whom we do not
expect it.
Now Quacker the Wild Duck is the last one in the world you would
expect to be led into trouble by curiosity. Quacker had spent the
summer in the Far North with Honker the Goose. In fact, he had been
born there. He had started for the far away Southland at the same time
Honker had, but when he reached the Big River he had found plenty to
eat and had decided to stay until he had to move on. The Big River had

frozen over everywhere except in this one place where the water was
too swift to freeze, and there Quacker had remained. You see, he was a
good diver and on the bottom of the river he found plenty to eat. No
one could get at him out there, unless it were Roughleg the Hawk, and
if Roughleg did happen along, all he had to do was to dive and come up
far away to laugh and make fun of Roughleg. The water couldn't get
through his oily feathers, and so he didn't mind how cold it was.
Now in his home in the Far North there were so many dangers that
Quacker had early learned to be always on the watch and to take the
best of care of himself. On his way down to the Big River he had been
hunted by men with terrible guns, and he had learned all about them. In
fact, he felt quite able to keep out of harm's way. He rather prided
himself that there was no one smart enough to catch him.
I suspect he thought he knew all there was to know. In this respect he
was a good deal like Reddy Fox himself. That was because he was
young. It is the way with young Ducks and Foxes and with some other
youngsters I know.
When Quacker first saw Granny Fox on the little beach, he flirted his
absurd little tail and smiled as he thought how she must wish she could
catch him. But so far as he could see, Granny didn't once look at him.
"She doesn't know I'm out here at all," thought Quacker. Then suddenly
he sat up very straight and looked with all his might. What under the
sun was the matter with that Fox? She was acting as if she had
suddenly lost her senses.
Over and over she rolled. Around and around she spun. She turned
somersaults. She lay on her back and kicked her heels in the air. Never
in his life had he known any one to act like that. There must be
something the matter with her.
Quacker began to get excited. He couldn't keep his eyes off Old Granny
Fox. He began to swim nearer. He wanted to see better. He quite forgot
she was a Fox. She moved so fast that she was just a queer red spot on
the beach. Whatever she was doing was very curious and very exciting.
He swam nearer and nearer. The excitement was catching. He began to
swim in circles himself. All the time he drew nearer and nearer to the
shore. He didn't have the least bit of fear. He was just curious. He
wanted to see better.
All the time Granny was cutting up her antics, she was watching

Quacker, though he didn't suspect it. As he swam nearer and nearer to
the shore, Granny rolled and tumbled farther and farther back. At last
Quacker was close to the shore. If he kept on, he would be right on the
land in a few minutes. And all the time he stared and stared. No thought
of danger entered his head. You see, there was no room because it was
so filled with curiosity.
"In a minute more I'll have him," thought Granny, and whirled faster
than ever. And just then something happened.

CHAPTER V
: Reddy Fox Is Afraid To Go Home
Yes, Sir, a chicken track is good to see, but it often puts nothing but
water in