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.

[Illustration]

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 awhile
before gobbling him up. He lay down so that he could peep in at
the open end of the old can and see Danny trying to make himself
as small as possible at the other end. Reddy grinned until he
showed all his long teeth. Reddy always is a bully, especially
when his victim is a great deal smaller and weaker than himself.

"I've got you this time, Mr. Smarty, haven't I?" taunted Reddy.

Danny didn't say anything.

"You think you've been very clever because you have fooled me two
or three times, don't you? Well, this time I've got you where
your tricks won't work," continued Reddy, "so what are you going
to do about it?"

Danny didn't answer. The fact is, he was too frightened to
answer. Besides, he didn't know what he could do. So he just kept
still, but his bright eyes never once left Reddy's cruel face.
For all his fright, Danny was doing some hard thinking. He had
been in tight places before and had learned never to give up
hope. Something might happen to frighten Reddy away. Anyway,
Reddy had to get him out of that old can before he would admit
that he was really caught.

For a long time Reddy lay there licking his chops and saying all
the things he could think of to frighten poor Danny Meadow Mouse.
At last he grew tired of this and made up his mind that that it
was time to end it and Danny Meadow Mouse at the same time. He
thrust his sharp nose in at the opening in the end of the old
can, but the opening was too small for him to get more than his
nose in, and he only scratched it on the sharp edges without so
much as touching Danny.

"I'll pull you out," said Reddy and thrust in one black paw.

Danny promptly bit it so hard that Reddy yelped wit