<h2><SPAN name="DANNY_FOX" id="DANNY_FOX"></SPAN>DANNY FOX</h2>
<p>Well, since the old crow has opened his little Black Book in the story
before this, I'll tell you now what he read on page 23:</p>
<p>"Little brown rabbits have all the same habits."</p>
<p>"Ha, ha," laughed the little bunny, "you're a very wise bird, Professor
Crow!" and he hopped away until he came to the wooded hill where Danny
Fox had his den.</p>
<p>Now it was a long time since the little rabbit had seen the old robber
fox and he was a bit curious to learn what was the trouble, for trouble
there must have been, otherwise Danny Fox would have been around to
steal a chicken now and then from the Old Barnyard.</p>
<p>So the little rabbit hopped along very carefully and by and by he came
to a big tree quite close to the pile of rocks under which the fox
family had their den, Danny Fox and Mrs. Fox, Bushy Tail and Slyboots,
their two little sons.</p>
<p>"I don't see anyone around," said the little rabbit to himself, and he
hopped over to another tree and peeped out.</p>
<p>And then, Oh, my! how his heart went pitter-pat, for right in front of
him, not forty hops away, sat Danny Fox on a three legged stool smoking
a corncob pipe.</p>
<p>"Oh, dear!" thought the little rabbit, "I didn't mean to get so close!"
But when he saw that Danny Fox's left foot was bandaged up in a piece of
white cloth with a big red cross stamped on it, he knew the old robber
couldn't run very well, and maybe not at all. So he called out, "Helloa,
Danny Fox! What's the matter with your foot?"</p>
<p>"Don't bother me," grumbled the old robber fox, not even looking around.
Maybe he didn't want to see a nice fat little rabbit when he couldn't
catch him for supper.</p>
<p>Just then Peter Possum shouted from his tree house:</p>
<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">"Old man robber, Danny Fox,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Caught his foot in a steel trap box."<br/></span></div>
</div>
<p>"Keep quiet, will you," snapped Danny Fox, angrily.</p>
<p>"Ho, ho, ha, ha," laughed the little rabbit. "So you got caught for all
your slyness?" which made the old fox so angry that he jumped up and ran
at him on three legs.</p>
<p>"Who's laughing now?" cried Danny Fox, as the little rabbit hopped away
and Peter Possum climbed a tree. "You're very brave when you're out of
danger," and the old robber limped back to his stool and lifted up his
wounded foot. And while he was doing this, Grandmother Magpie came by,
and as she was always poking into other people's business, she asked
what was the matter. "If I told you," snapped Danny Fox, "everybody in
the Shady Forest and the Sunny Meadow would know it in a few minutes,
you old tattle tale!"</p>
<p>"Gracious me!" exclaimed the mischievous old blackbird, "you're in a
disagreeable mood to-day," and away she flew after Little Jack Rabbit,
but before she caught up to him, he hopped into the Old Bramble Patch
for the night.</p>
<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">Wind the clock, it's time for bed;<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Dreams are waiting, Sleepy Head.<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">Through the window bright and far<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Shines the silver Twinkle Star.<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">Oh, how soft the pillow lies!<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Cuddle down, dear Sleepy Eyes,<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">Underneath the counterpane,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Till the robin in the lane<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">Sings his morning roundelay,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">And it's time again for play.<br/></span></div>
</div>
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