TommyFoxkeptasharplook-outtoseewhathecouldcapturetoeat.Buthecoulddiscovernothingatall. Tobesure,therewerebirdsinthetrees,andbirds’neststoo,andTommywasveryfondofbirds’eggs.Buthecouldn’tclimbtrees. Thebirdswereoutofhisreach;andsowerethesquirrels. Hesawplentyofredsquirrels,andgraysquirrels,andlittlestripedchipmunks. Theylookeddownfromthebranchesandchatteredandscoldedathim. Theywereperfectlysafe,andtheyknewit. TommyFoxsatdowntothink.AsIhavesaid,hewashungry. Andthereisnothingthatsharpensafox’switslikehunger. Helookedveryinnocent,asherestedunderabigchestnuttree,andgazedupatagraysquirrelwhichwasperchedonalimboverhishead. “Runalong,TommyFox,”thesquirrelsaidtohim.—“There’snouseofyourstayinghere.Ishan’tcomedownuntilyou’regone.” Tommydidn’tsayanything.Hejustwhinedafewtimes,andheldhispawagainsthisstomach.Andhegaveoneortwogroans. ThegraysquirrelcamealittlefurtherdownthetreeandlookedatTommyagain.HewonderedifTommywasill. Andthen,whenTommystretchedhimselfoutonthegroundandlayquitestillthegraysquirrelwassurethatTommyFoxhadeatensomethingthathurthim. “Whatisit?”thesquirrelinquired. Tommylookedupandmurmuredsomething.Thesquirrelcouldn’thearwhathesaid,buthethoughthecaughtthewordpoison. AndhedecidedthatTommyhadprobablydevouredapoisonedchicken-headwhichFarmerGreenhadthrownoutforhim. Iamafraidthatthesquirreldidn’tfeelverysorry. Hedidn’tlikeTommyFox,forTommywasalwaystryingtocatchhim.Butifhewasn’tsorry,hewascurious. AndhesatuponalowbranchandlookedatTommyforalongtime. TommyFoxnevermovedagain.Hiseyeswereshut;hisbeautifulredtail,withitswhitetip,laylimpontheground;andhislegsstuckoutasstiffaspokers. Mr.GraySquirrelfeltsurethatTommywasveryill.HecalledandcalledtoTommy.Buthegotnoreply. AndatlasthedecidedthatTommymustbedead. Soheslippeddownthetreetotheground,togetabetterlook. AtfirstMr.GraySquirrelstayedclosetothetree,sothathecouldscamperupagainincasehewasmistaken.ButTommyFoxnevermovedaneyelash. AndatlastMr.GraySquirrelgrewquitebold.HeedgedclosertoTommy. Hehadneverbeensonearafoxbefore,andhewascurioustoseewhathelookedlike. HestoleupbesideTommyandwasjustabouttocalltohisfriendsinthenexttreetoptocomedown,whenhereceivedthesurpriseofhislife. AsMr.GraySquirrelwatched,hethoughthesawoneofTommyFox’seyelidsquiver.Andagreatfearseizedhim.Hadhebeenmistaken?WasTommyFoxplayingdead? 
