Part 7 (1/2)

Mr. Fox is sure he can get one now. He reaches up till his black nose nearly touches the rooster's long tail-feathers.

He is all ready for a spring, when a rush and a loud barking is heard.

The dog has scented the fox. So, instead of getting a nice, fat chicken for dinner, Mr. Fox has to run for his life. And the dog is close behind. So close that Mr. Fox fears that he himself may make a dinner for the dog. But he reaches his hole safely.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MR. FOX IS SURE.]

DOLLY KNITS, THEN HIDES.

CUNNING little Dolly often gets into mischief. She thinks she can do just what grandma and mamma do. One day grandma fell asleep and her knitting dropped to the floor.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Dolly soon spied it, and the spectacles, too. She picked both up and climbed into a big chair. Before beginning to knit she thought of something else.

”Dess Dolly'll put on drandma's tean tap.”

So she got the clean cap from the table, and climbed into the big chair again. After putting on cap and spectacles, Dolly tried to knit. But she only pulled the needles out, and tangled the yarn. And grandma was stirring, too. What would she say to Dolly when she woke up?

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Dolly was afraid grandma wouldn't like it, so she slipped from the chair and hid behind the clock.

”Where's my work?” asked grandma. ”Has Dolly been here?”

”Dolly's done 'way,” answered a voice behind the clock.

HATTIE AND THE b.u.t.tERFLY.

LITTLE Hattie Vaughn was playing in the back yard, when she saw a beautiful b.u.t.terfly light on a clover blossom just outside the gate. She wished she could catch it. So she opened the gate and walked softly the b.u.t.terfly.

Her hand was almost on it, when the b.u.t.terfly rose lightly in the air and sailed away toward the woods.

Hattie watched it. Soon it settled down on a wild lily the other side of a rail fence. Hattie crawled through the fence and came close to the pretty b.u.t.terfly again.

But just as her hand came near, away it flew further into the woods.

Hattie followed. By and by she lost sight of the b.u.t.terfly. She was tired, and wanted to go home. But she did not know the way. She was lost. She began to cry, and cried herself to sleep.

Brother d.i.c.k found her sleeping under a large tree. d.i.c.k and his father had been looking for Hattie some time. He sat down beside her and thought he would not wake her till his father came. But the moment his father spoke, Hattie opened her eyes. She was not afraid with her father and d.i.c.k near.