Theverynextdayafterhisfirstlessoninhunting,whenhismotherhadbroughthomethelivewoodchuck,TommyFoxwentoffintothewoodsalone. Hehadmadeuphismindthathewouldsurprisehismotherbybringinghomesomenicetidbitfordinner—arabbit,perhaps,ormaybeasquirrel. Hewasn’tquitesurewhatitwouldbe,becauseyouknowwhenhuntingyouhavetotakewhatyoufind—ifyoucancatchit. TommyFoxhadn’tbeenlonginthewoodsbeforehehadevenbetterluckthanhehadexpected. Hewascreepingthroughathicket,makingnonoiseatall,whenwhatshouldheseebutthatslyoldMotherGrouse,withallherelevenchildren! Theywereveryyoung,wereoldMotherGrouse’schildren;andtheyhadn’tyetlearnedtofly. Andtheretheywere,allontheground,withtheproudoldladyintheirmidst. TommyFoxwassopleasedthathealmostlaughedoutloud. Hetriedtokeepstill;buthecouldn’thelpsnickeringalittle.AndoldMotherGrouseheardhim.Shestartedtofly. Butinsteadoftearingoffoutofdanger,shelightedonthegroundquitenearTommy. “Howstupidofher!”hethought.“I’lljustcatchtheoldladyfirst,andthengettheyoungstersafterward.Theycan’tflyaway.” SoTommymadealeapforoldMotherGrouse.Hejustmissedher. Sheroseinthenickoftimeandslippedawayfromhim.Butshedidn’tflyfar.SoTommyfollowed.Andhestoleupveryslyly;andoncemore,whenhewasquiteneartheoldlady,hesprangather. Itwasreallyveryannoying.ForagainoldMotherGrousejustescaped.Againsheflewalittlefurtheraway,lightedontheground,andseemedtoforgetthatTommyFoxwassonear. Thatsamethinghappenedasmanyasadozentimes. AndthetwelfthtimethatMrs.GrouserosebeforeoneofTommy’srushesshedidn’tcomedownagain.Shelightedinatree. AndsinceitappearedtoTommythatshehadnointentionofleavinghersafeperch,hegaveupindisgust. Hewasveryangrybecausehehadn’tcaughtoldMotherGrouse.Buttherewasherfamily! Hewouldgetthem—thewholeelevenofthem! Andheturnedbacktowardtheplacewherehehadfirstcomeuponthem. Now,slyoldMotherGrousehadplayedatrickonTommyFox. Ifhehadjustleftheralonehecouldhavecaughteveryoneofherchildren.Butshehadtemptedhimtofollowher. Andeverytimesherosefromthegroundandflewashortdistance,sheledTommyfurtherawayfromherlittleones. TommyhadsometroubleinfindingtheexactspotwherehehadstumbleduponMrs.Grouseandherchildren.Buthefounditagain,atlast. Andlittlegooditdidhim;fornotatraceofthoseelevenyounggrousecouldhediscover. Theyhadalldisappeared—everysingleoneofthem! TheyknewwhattodowhentheirmotherledTommyFoxaway.Eachofthemfoundasafehiding-place. Someofthemburrowedbeneaththefallenleaves;someofthemhidbehindoldstumps;someofthemcreptintoahollowlog. Andtryashewould,TommyFoxwasunabletofindsomuchasonedownyfeather. Hewassodisappointed—andsoashamed—thathewenthomeandstayedthere.Buthehadlearnedsomething.Yes! TommyFoxknewthatifheevermetoldMotherGrouseandherfamilyagainhewouldcatchherchildrenfirst. Afterwardhewouldtrytocapturetheslyoldladyherself. Buthedidn’tbelieve,justthen,thathewouldeverbeabletocatchher. Yousee,Tommyrealizedthathewasn’tquitesocleverashehadthought. 
