TommyFoxwashavingadelightfultime.Ifyoucouldhavecomeuponhiminthewoodsyouwouldhavebeenastonishedathisantics. Heleapedhighofftheground,andstruckoutwithhispaws. Heopenedhismouthandthrusthisnoseoutandthenclappedhisjawsshutagain,withasnap. Tommyburrowedhissharpfaceintothedeadleavesathisfeetandtossedhisheadintotheair. Andthenhejumpedupandbarkedjustlikeapuppy. IfyoucouldhavehidbehindatreeandwatchedTommyFoxyouwouldhavesaidthathewasplayingwithsomething. Butyounevercouldhavetoldwhatitwas,becauseyoucouldn’thaveseenit. Andyoumayhavethreeguessesnow,beforeItellyouwhatitwasthatTommyFoxwasplayingwith....Itwasafeather! Yes—Tommyhadfoundadowny,brownishfeatherinthewoods,whicholdMotherGrousehaddroppedinoneofherflights. AndTommywashavinggreatsportwithit,tossingitupintheair,andslappingandsnappingatit,asitdriftedslowlydowntothegroundagain. Hegrewquiteexcited,didTommyFox.Forhejustcouldn’thelpmakingbelievethatitwasoldMotherGrouseherself—andnotmerelyoneofhersmallestfeathersthathehadfound. Andheleapedandboundedandjumpedandtumbledaboutandmadeagreatfussovernothingbutthatlittle,soft,brownishfeather. TherewassomethingaboutthatfeatherthatmadeTommy’snosetwitchandwrinkleandtremble. Tommysniffedandsniffedatthebitofdown,forhelikedthesmellofit.Itmadehimfeelveryhungry. Andatlasthefeltsohungrythathedecidedhewouldgohomeandseeifhismotherhadbroughthimsomethingtoeat.Sohestartedhomewards. ImustexplainthatTommylivedwithhismotherandthattheirhousewasrightinthemiddleofoneofFarmerGreen’sfields,notfarfromthefootofBlueMountain. WhenTommywasquitesmallhismotherhadchosenthatplaceforherhouse,whichwasreallyadenthatshehaddugintheground. ByhavingherhouseinthecenterofthefieldsheknewthatnoonecouldcreepupandcatchTommywhenhewasplayingoutsideinthesunshine. NowTommywasolder,andhadbeguntoroamaboutinthewoodsandmeadowsalone. ButMrs.Foxlikedherhomeinthefield,andsoshecontinuedtolivethere. Tommywassohungry,now,andinsuchahurrytoreachhome,thatyoumightthinkthathewouldhavegonestraighttowardhismother’shouse.Buthedidn’t. Hetrottedalongalittleway,andsuddenlygaveasidewiseleapwhichcarriedhimseveralfeetawayfromthestraightpathhehadbeenfollowing. Againhetrottedaheadforashortdistance. Andthenhewheeledaroundandraninacircle. Andafterhehadmadethecirclehejumpedtoonesideoncemore,andranalongonanoldtreewhichhadfallenupontheground.Hewasnotplaying.No! —TommyFoxwasjusttryingtoobeyhismother. Eversincehehadbeenbigenoughtowanderoffbyhimselfshehadtoldhimthathemustnevergoanywherewithoutmakingjumpsandcircles. “Ittakeslonger,”shesaid;“butitisbettertodothatway,becauseitmakesithardforadogtofollowyou. Ifyouranstraightahead,FarmerGreen’sdogcouldgosmellingalonginyourfootsteps,andifhedidn’tactuallycatchyouhecouldfollowyourighthomeandthenwewouldhavetomove,tosaytheleast.” Tommywassoafraidofdogsthathealmostneverforgottodojustashismothertoldhim. Hewashalf-wayhomeandpassingthroughaclumpofevergreens,whenhesuddenlystopped. Thewindwasblowinginhisface,andbroughttohisnostrilsasmellthatmadehimtremble. Itwasnotafrightenedsortoftremble,butadelicious,joyfulshiverthatTommyfelt. Forhesmelledsomethingthatremindedhimatonceofthatfeatherwithwhichhehadbeenplaying. AndTommystoodasstillasastatueandhissharpeyeslookedallaround.Atfirsthecouldseenothing. Butinaminuteortwohenoticedsomethingontheground,beneathoneoftheevergreentrees. Hehadlookedatitcarefullyseveraltimes;andeachtimehehaddecidedthatitwasonlyanoldtree-root. Butnowhesawthathehadbeenmistaken. Yes!ItwasoldMotherGrouseherself! 
