Afterheoutwittedthestrangedog,TommyFoxbecamemoreofabraggartthanever. Hethoughtthatheknewjustaboutalltherewastoknow. ButwiththecomingofwinterTommyfoundthathehadmanythingstolearn. Itwasalmostlikelivinginadifferentworld,forthegroundwaswhiteeverywhere. AndthoughTommyFoxlovedtoplayinthesnow,hediscoveredonethingaboutitthathedidnotlikeatall. Itfrightenedhimwhenhesawhowplainlyhisfootprintsshowedafterafreshsnowfall. Andhewonderedhowhewouldeverbeabletoescapebeingcaught,shouldanystrangedogchasehim. Asthewinterdayspassed,Tommylearnedthatitwasveryhardforhimtorunfastinalight,drysnow—thatthroughsuchsnowadogcouldrunmuchfasterthanhecould. Butwhentherewasathincrusthecouldgoskippingalonglikethewind,whiledogs,beingheavier,brokethroughthecrustandflounderedaboutinthesoftersnowbeneath. OnedayTommyandhismotherwereouthunting. Thesnowwasverydeepeverywhere,foritwasmid-winter. Andithadthawedandfrozensooftenthatthesnowwasquitehard,exceptforjustaboutaninchoffreshsnowwhichhadfallenduringthenight. Tommyandhismothercouldseerabbittracksallaroundthem;andtheyhadverygoodluckhunting. Butsomethinghappenedthatwasn’texactlylucky. Theyhadturnedtowardhome,whenadogbayedsomewherebehindthem,andprettysoonMrs.Foxsawthattheywerebeingfollowed. SheandTommystartedtorun.AndTommysawthattherewasonemorebadthingaboutwinter. SwiftRiver,andallthelittlebrooks,werecoveredwiththickiceandtherewasnochanceatallforhimandhismothertorunthroughshallowwaterandthrowthedogofftheirscent. Itwasthatstrangedogthatwaschasingthem—theonethatbelongedtoFarmerGreen’shiredman. Hewasaveryfastrunner,andinspiteoftheusualtricksthatfoxesknow,Mrs.FoxandTommycouldnotlosehim. Tommybegantobefrightened.AndoldMrs.Foxherselfwassomewhatworried.Butshestillhadafewtricksuphersleeve.Shedidn’tintendtoletthatdogcatchthemifshecouldhelpit. “Oh,Mother!whatevershallwedo?”Tommysaid.“Doyouthinkwecangetawayfromhim?” “Ofcourse,”Mrs.Foxanswered.“ButyoumustdojustasItellyou. Now,followrightinmytracks,anddon’tbefrightened,I’mgoingtoshowyouanewtrick—onethatmyownmothertaughtmewhenIwasnoolderthanyouare.” Mrs.Foxturnedtotherightandstartedbackacrossthevalley.ShewasgoingstraighttowardSwiftRiver. “Oh,dear!”Tommycried.“Don’tyouknowthattheriverisfrozensolid,Mother?Thedogcanfollowusacrossit,aseasyasanything.” “Stopfussing!”Mrs.Foxsaid,lookingoverhershoulderatTommy.“We’renotgoingtotheriver. Youjustmindmeandyou’llsee,inafewminutes,thatwecanfoolthatdog.” Andshekeptonrunning,withTommyrightatherheels. 
