e matter," Tommy Fox said softly.
"I don't like to displease you. And I don't want to get a stranger into
trouble either, just as he has come to spend the winter amongst us.

"And besides," Tommy added, "it would be a shame for you to quarrel with
the stranger because he happens to choose your favorite colors. That
only goes to show that your tastes are alike."

"That's exactly what I object to!" Grumpy Weasel complained, getting
much excited. "If his tastes are the same as mine he'll want to come and
hunt along my stone wall. And there'll be trouble if he does that! The
fur will fly!"

Tommy Fox turned his head away, for he simply had to enjoy a grin and he
didn't want Grumpy Weasel to see it.

"I'm sorry I spoke about the stranger," he said glibly, as soon as he
could keep his face straight. "But I thought the news would please you."

"It would certainly please me to meet him," Grumpy Weasel declared
fiercely. "And it would please me much more than it would him, I can
tell you."

"It wouldn't be treating a newcomer well to let him wander through the
woods when you feel as you do about him. I ought to warn him to leave
Pleasant Valley before it's too late," Tommy said.

"It would be treating him better to give him a good lesson before he
goes," Grumpy Weasel said. "You needn't say a word to him about my
wanting to meet him. Let the fur fly first! And then he'll flee.

"That's my way of getting rid of strangers!"

XXIII

A BOLD STRANGER

Tommy Fox had carefully kept from Grumpy Weasel the name of the stranger
who was dressed like Grumpy, in white and black. It happened that he
wore feathers--this newcomer. And that was one reason why Tommy Fox had
had to grin when Grumpy threatened to "make the fur fly" when he met the
unknown.

Another reason why Tommy had laughed at Grumpy's blustering was that the
stranger was quite able to take care of himself in a fight. He belonged
to the Snowy Owl family, being bigger, even, than Solomon Owl. And what
with his hooked beak and his strong talons he was a dangerous fellow to
meet. Although Grumpy Weasel could easily handle a rabbit or a wild duck
a dozen times his own size, because they were unarmed, he would have had
no chance at all with Mr. Snowy Owl.

All this made Tommy Fox chuckle and grin, as he left Grumpy and loped
off towards Cedar Swamp, where Mr. Snowy Owl was spending the winter.
Unlike Solomon Owl, and his cousin Simon Screecher, Mr. Snowy Owl d