I
think I'll take a stroll up through the Green Forest and have a
look around."
With that, off Old Man Coyote started. But he was too sly and
crafty to go straight to the Green Forest. He pretended to hunt
around over the Green Meadows just as he usually did, all the
time working nearer and nearer to the Green Forest. When he
reached the edge of it, he slipped in among the trees, and when
he felt that no one was likely to see him, he began to run this
way and that way with his nose to the ground.
"Ha!" he exclaimed presently, "Reddy Fox has been this way
lately."
Pretty soon he found another trail. "So," said he, "Peter Rabbit
has been over here a good deal of late, and his trail goes in the
same direction as that of Reddy Fox. I guess all I have to do now
is to follow Peter's trail, and it will lead me to what I want to
find out."
So Old Man Coyote followed Peter's trail, and he presently came
to the pond of Paddy the Beaver. "Ha!" said he, as he looked out
and saw Paddy's new house. "So there is a newcomer to the Green
Forest! I have always heard that Beaver is very good eating. My
stomach begins to feel empty this very minute." His mouth began
to water, and a fierce, hungry look shone in his eyes.
It was just then that Sammy Jay saw him and began to scream at
the top of his lungs so that Paddy the Beaver over in his house
heard him. Old Man Coyote knew that it was of no use to stay
longer with Sammy Jay about, so he took a hasty look at the pond
and found where Paddy came ashore to cut his food.
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