PoorTommyFox!Howhewishedthathehadobeyedhismother,andkeptawayfromFarmerGreen’shen-house! NowFarmerGreen’sdogSpotwaschasinghim. Tommycouldhearhimbayingjoyfullyashefollowed. ButyoumaybesurethatTommywasnotjoyful.Hewasterriblyfrightened. Hecouldthinkofnothingtodoexcepttorun,run,run!asfastashecouldgo. Hewasheadedstraightforhome,andheonlyhopedthathewouldgettherebeforethedogSpotcaughthim. Now,Tommywasdoingjustabouttheworstthinghecoulddo. Heneveroncejumpedsideways,orranaroundinacircle. Andthoughhemighthavewadedalittlewayintheshallowbrookinthemeadow,whereSpotwouldhavelosthistrail,Tommyusedthebridgetogetacrossthestream;sothedogSpothadnotroubleatallinfollowinghim. AndSpotkeptdrawingnearerandnearer. IthappenedthatMrs.Foxheardthebayingofthedog.AndsheknewwhatSpotwassaying.Hewascrying—“I’vealmostgothim!I’vealmostgothim!” AshiverpassedoverMrs.Fox;forshethoughtatonceofTommy. Hewasnotathome,andshewonderedifbyanychancehewasintrouble. ShehurriedthroughthefieldtoseewhoitwasthatSpotwaschasing.Andsureenough! PrettysoonMrs.FoxsawTommycometearingthroughthefield,pantinghard,withhistonguehangingout,andamostfrightenedlookuponhisface. Mrs.Foxhastenedtomeethim.ThedogSpotwasthenontheothersideofalowhill,andrunningalongwithhisnosetotheground. “Jump!”Mrs.FoxsaidtoTommy,assoonashejoinedher. Tommyremembered,then,whathismotherhadalwaystoldhim.Sohegavealongleaptooneside. “Nowmakeabigcircle,andjumpagain.Thengohome!”ThatwasallMrs.Foxhadtimetosay.ShestoppedjustlongenoughtoseeTommydashoff;andthenshestartedrightintheoppositedirection. ThedogSpotsawherandgaveayelpofdelight. Hedidnotknowwhathadbeenhappening. Heonlythoughtthatnowhewasgoingtocatchthefox,whichwasthestupidestfoxhehadeverchased,runningasitdid,straightaway,withneveraleaporacircle,oranyothersortoftricktofoolhim. LittledidSpotguessthatoldMrs.Foxhadnottheslightestideaofbeingcaught. ShehadbeenfollowedbySpothimselfmanytimes;andsheknewexactlyhowtoescapehim. Shejustlingeredforafewmoments,tomakesurethatTommywassafe,andthatSpotwaschasingher.Andthenhowshedidrun! InnotimeatallsheleftSpotfarbehind. Now,Mrs.Foxknewthattherewasaploughedfieldnearby,andthatwasjustwhatshewanted. Shescamperedtowardsitatgreatspeedandwentstraightacrossit. Andwhenshehadreachedtheothersideoftheploughedgroundshesatdownforashortbreathingspell. Yousee,Mrs.Foxwasverywiseindeed.Sheknewthatindryweather,suchastherewasthen,aploughedfieldtakesnoscentatall. SheknewthatwhenSpotreachedthatloosedirtSpotcouldnotsmellherfootsteps. Andsoshejustsatthereonherhaunches,andcaughtherbreathagain. AgrimsmilecrossedMrs.Fox’sfaceassheheardSpotbarkingawayinthedistance. ItwasaverydifferentbarkfromwhatshehadheardwhenhewaschasingTommy.ThistimeSpotwassaying,“Oh,dear!oh,dear!I’velosthim!”overandoveragain. WhenMrs.FoxreachedhomeshefoundTommysafeinsidetheirhouse. Hewascrying,becausehewasafraidhewouldneverseehismotheragain. AndafterhismotherfoundouthowSpothadhappenedtochasehim,Tommycriedsomemore—butforanentirelydifferentreason. Whocanguesswhatthereasonwas? 
