breakfast some
distance away on the Green Meadows when Redtail the Hawk had tried
so hard to catch Danny Meadow Mouse. Reddy's sharp eyes had seen
Redtail the minute he left the tree in pursuit of Danny, and he had
known by the way Redtail flew that he saw something he wanted to
catch. He had watched Redtail swoop down and had heard his scream of
rage when he missed Danny because Danny had dodged into the old
tomato can. He had seen Redtail strike and strike again at something
on the ground, and finally fly off in disgust with empty claws.

"Now, I wonder what it was Redtail was after and why he didn't get
it," thought Reddy. "He acts terribly put out and disappointed. I
believe I'll go over there and find out."

Off he started at a smart trot towards the patch of short grass
where he had seen Redtail the Hawk striking at something on the
ground. As he drew near, he crept very softly until he reached the
very edge of the open patch. There he stopped and looked sharply all
over it. There was nothing to be seen but an old tomato can. Reddy
had seen it many times before.

"Now what under the sun could Redtail have been after here?" thought
Reddy. "The grass isn't long enough for a grasshopper to hide in,
and yet Redtail didn't get what he was after. It's very queer. It
certainly is very queer."

He trotted out and began to run back and forth with his nose to the
ground, hoping that his nose would tell him what his eyes couldn't.
Back and forth, back and forth he ran, and then suddenly he stopped.

"Ha!" exclaimed Reddy. He had found the scent left by Danny Meadow
Mouse when he ran across towards the old tomato can. Right up to the
old can Reddy's nose led him. He hopped over the old can, but on the
other side he could find no scent of Danny Meadow Mouse. In a flash
he understood, and a gleam of satisfaction shone in his yellow eyes
as he turned back to the old can. He knew that Danny must be hiding
in there.

"I've got you this time!" he snarled, as he sniffed at the opening
in the end of the can.

CHAPTER XXIV

_Reddy Fox Loses His Temper_

Reddy Fox had caught Danny Meadow Mouse, and yet he hadn't caught
him. He had found Danny hiding in the old tomato can, and it didn't
enter Reddy's head that he couldn't get Danny out when he wanted to.
He was in no hurry. He had had a pretty good breakfast of
grasshoppers, and so he thought he would torment Danny a while
before gobbling him up. He lay down so tha