<div><h1 id='ch10'>CHAPTER X<br/> <span class='sub-head'>A YOUNG FISHERMAN IS CAUGHT</span></h1></div>
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<p class='line0'>The heedless young who disobey</p>
<p class='line0'>Will for their folly have to pay.</p>
<p class='line0'>             <span class='it'>Little Joe Otter.</span></p>
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<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Farmer Brown’s</span> boy watched
the family fishing party until it
moved on to the next pool. Then
he remembered his own fishing and
the fat trout he had promised to
bring back for supper that night.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Now I understand why I
haven’t had a bite,” he chuckled.
“Little Joe Otter and his family
got started earlier than I did.
They are welcome to all they have
caught, for the fun of seeing those
young Otters get their first fishing
lesson is worth more to me than
any fish could be. But I can’t allow
them to get <span class='it'>all</span> the fish. I
could frighten them away, but I
don’t want to do that. No, Sir, I
don’t want to make them afraid of
me. I know what I’ll do; I’ll
circle around through the woods
and get ahead of them.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>So Farmer Brown’s boy tramped
around through the Green Forest
until he reached the Laughing
Brook again at a point where he
felt sure of being ahead of the
Otter fishing party. In a minute
there was a sharp tug at his line
and presently he pulled out a
silvery, speckled trout. Then
Farmer Brown’s boy forgot all
about everything but fishing.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Now it just happened that that
very morning Old Man Coyote had
taken it into his head to visit the
Laughing Brook and see what was
going on there. It may be that in
the back of that shrewd head of
his was an idea there might be
some helpless young babies or
headstrong and careless young children
of one kind or another who
would furnish him with a tender
and easily gotten breakfast. Anyway,
he was going up the Laughing
Brook and Farmer Brown’s
Boy was going down the Laughing
Brook. Of course they met.
However, Farmer Brown’s boy
didn’t know it. He didn’t know
a thing about it. You see, he was
so intent on fishing that he had no
eyes for anything but the water
and his fishing line. So he didn’t
see Old Man Coyote. But Old
Man Coyote saw him and lifted his
lips from his long, strong teeth in
a most unpleasant manner as he
sneaked past through the brush.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Probably he has frightened
everybody along the Laughing
Brook,” grumbled Old Man Coyote
bitterly, as he went on his way.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But he had gone only a
short distance after passing Farmer
Brown’s boy when his sharp ears
heard a faint splash in a little pool
just ahead. Instantly he dropped
flat on his stomach and began to
crawl forward an inch at a time,
his eyes blazing with eagerness and
his pointed ears cocked forward.
Presently he saw Little Joe Otter
and Mrs. Joe swimming, and a
great disappointment swept over
him. He knew that they were far
too smart to be caught by him.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A moment later he saw the two
young Otters. All his disappointment
was forgotten and the eager
look returned to his eyes. He
couldn’t imagine anything more to
his liking than young Otter. His
mouth watered. He licked his
lips hungrily. Inch by inch he
crept nearer. One of the young
Otters climbed up the bank almost
in front of him. Old Man Coyote
wriggled nearer. He brought his
hind feet under him, ready for
a quick spring. Then he waited.
He wanted that young Otter, but
he was too crafty to risk a fight
with Little Joe Otter and Mrs. Joe
unless he had to. So he waited.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Presently Little Joe and Mrs.
Joe called the two children and
started down the Laughing Brook.
The young Otter in the water
obeyed instantly, but the one on
the bank didn’t. He was tired
and he wanted to rest. The others
could go if they wanted to, for
they wouldn’t go far and he could
soon catch up with them. He
rather liked the idea of being left
alone. It made him feel more independent.
There was nothing to
fear. So he sat still and watched
the others disappear around a turn
in the Laughing Brook. When
they were out of sight he chuckled.
He thought himself very smart.</p>
<p class='pindent'>A very tiny noise behind him,
the rustle of a leaf, caused him to
turn his head. He had just time
to get a glimpse of fierce, yellow
eyes and gleaming teeth. Then
the paws of Old Man Coyote
landed on him. He was caught!</p>
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