88 STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 



and walked off in a direction opposite to tlie 

 place wliere his victim was bnried. The man 

 went to the hole, uncovered the goose, put it 

 into his basket, replaced the leaves carefully, 

 and walked away to a place sufficiently near to 

 enable him to see what might be going on in 

 that quarter, and yet so sheltered that the fox 

 would not be likely to discover him. The sly 

 thief was soon seen returning with another fox, 

 whom he had invited to dine with him. They 

 trotted along right merril}^, swinging their tails, 

 snuffing the air, and smacking their lips, in the 

 hope of soon enjoying one of their favorite 

 dishes. Alas, what a disappointment awaited 

 them! AVhen they arrived under the rock, the 

 fox who had captured the goose, eagerly scratch- 

 ed away tlie leaves, when it was sufficiently 

 evident to both parties that there was no dinner 

 to be had in that quarter. The host looked at 

 his companion, and plainly saw by his counte- 

 nance that he was inclined to doubt whether 

 the whole affair was not a cheat. He made up 

 his mind, at last — so it would seem — that his 

 friend's hospitality was a sham, and that it was 

 a trick to insult him. The other fox could not 

 say much in his defence. The evidence was all 

 against him. He held his head down, looking 

 sideways, with a sneaking glance, at his disap- 



