"
"I've been rather lucky up to the present," admitted the boy. "But now
it's all up with me unless you help me! There's a fox at my heels. He's
lying in wait for me around the corner."
"Don't you suppose I can smell him?" retorted the dog. "But we'll soon
be rid of him!" With that the dog sprang as far as the chain would
allow, barking and growling for ever so long. "Now I don't think he will
show his face again to-night!" said the dog.
"It will take something besides a fine bark to scare that fox!" the boy
remarked. "He'll soon be here again, and that is precisely what I wish,
for I have set my heart on your catching him."
"Are you poking fun at me now?" asked the dog.
"Only come with me into your kennel, and I'll tell you what to do."
The boy and the watch-dog crept into the kennel and crouched there,
whispering.
By and by the fox stuck his nose out from his hiding place. When all was
quiet he crept along cautiously. He scented the boy all the way to the
kennel, but halted at a safe distance and sat down to think of some way
to coax him out.
Suddenly the watch-dog poked his head out and growled at him:
"Go away, or I'll catch you!"
"I'll sit here as long as I please for all of you!" defied the fox.
"Go away!" repeated the dog threateningly, "or there will be no more
hunting for you after to-night.
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