1 88 



Charley s Wonderful Journeys. 



alas, he was not quite quick enough; in 

 turning, he whisked his tail into the mouth 

 of the Bear, who snapped on it so viciously, 

 that he bit it off close to the stump, and 

 away went the Fox as fast as his legs could 

 carry him; the Bear dropped the brush and 

 followed at best speed, and Charley picked 

 it up and trotted after them to see what 

 would happen next. 



Alas for the uncertainty of mundane 

 affairs! The Fox knew every trap on the 

 run, but in his hurry to get away from the 

 Bear, he never thought where he was going 

 until he put his foot into a trap, and rolled 

 over with a sharp howl. 



"Well," said the Bear, as he sat down 

 and contemplated the Fox with a grin of 

 satisfaction, " of two evils it's always wise 

 to choose the least." 



"Oh, Cousin Bruin," said the Fox, "help 

 me out like a good fellow. You never 

 would have got out if it hadn't been for 

 my advice, and now if you will only put 

 your paws upon the springs, and let me 

 get my foot out, I'll never forget it." 



" I won't be beaten by a Fox in gener- 

 osity," said the Bear. " It was very foolish 

 of you to put your foot in it. 'Twould 

 have been wiser to walk twice round it 

 than once into it; still I must admit that 

 you were in a hurry, and you are welcome 

 to the advice I got from a very clever fel- 

 low when I was there myself. Just push 

 your nose into the trap and pry open the 

 jaws, and your foot will come out quite 

 easily." 



The Fox groaned; then, suddenly be- 

 thinking himself of a ru.se, he said: "I 

 know of a bee's nest full of honey not far 

 off, and if you'll only help me out Fll take 

 you there at once, and you can have it all." 



"So it is up a tree?" asked the Hear. 



"Yes, up in a big hollow elm tree," said 

 the Fox, who now began to hope; "you 

 can get it quite easily." 



"All right," said the Bear; "I'll go off 

 in the woods and hide till you come. Here 



comes the trapper with his Dog, and he un- 

 derstands these darned traps better than I 

 do, and you'll be glad of anything for a 

 change. Good-by, Cousin Reynard. Tell 

 me how you got along when we meet again. 

 By the way, how are skins selling?" and 

 with this parting shot away scampered the 

 Bear. 



Charley thought it time to go too; but 

 he wanted to see what would happen next, 

 so he went and hid behind a tree. 



When the trapper came up, the Fox was 

 lying as still as dead. The Dog ran in and 

 seized him and began to shake him, but 

 the Fox made no sign. 



" Durn that Dog," said the trapper, 

 " he'll spoil the skin. Down, Pincher. 

 i:)ead ! " 



The trapper came up and lifted the Fox 

 by one ear, and then let him drop; the 

 Fox fell all in a heap, but the dog kept 

 stern watch with his nose close to the Fox's 

 throat. 



The trapper then opened the trap and 

 released his leg, turned him over with his 

 foot, and, concluding that he was quite 

 dead, set the trap again, seized the Fox by 

 the hindlegs, swung him over his shoul- 

 der, and strode off to the next trap, the 

 one the Bear had been caught in. The 

 Fox opened his eyes, but the Dog was fol- 

 lowing close behind, ready to seize him at 

 the first move. 



When they reached the place, the trap 

 was gone, and, as they passed over it, the 

 Dog smelt bear's blood, and the hair on 

 the back of his neck bristled with anger; 

 he got another sniff, and, for a moment 

 forgetting everything else, he ran off on 

 the Bear's trail. 



Now was the Fox's opportunity! He 

 closed his jaws on the broadest part of the 

 trapper's back, and sampled it with such a 

 sudden snap, that the trapper yelled, and 

 flung him off as suddenly. 



Away went the Fox as fast as he could 

 limp, and the Dog, recalled to duty, was 



