Thusalwaysyouwillmeetlife’stest— Todothethingyoucandobest. JumpertheHaresatcrouchedatthefootofatreeintheGreenForest. Hadyouhappenedalongthere,youwouldnothaveseenhim.Atleast,Idoubtifyouwould. Ifyouhadseenhim,youprobablywouldn’thaveknownit. Yousee,inhiswhitecoatJumperwassoexactlythecolorofthesnowthathelookedlikenothingmorethanalittleheapofsnow. JustinfrontofJumperwasalittleroundhole.Hegaveitnoattention.Itdidn’tinteresthimintheleast. AllthroughtheGreenForestwerelittleholesinthesnow. Jumperwassousedtothemthatheseldomnoticedthem. Sohetooknonoticeofthisoneuntilsomethingmoveddowninthathole. Jumper’seyesopenedalittlewiderandhewatched. Asharplittlefacewithverybrighteyesfilledthatlittleroundhole. Jumpermovedjustthetiniestbit,andinaflashthatsharplittlefacewiththebrighteyesdisappeared.Jumpersatstillandwaited. Afteralongwaitthesharplittlefacewithbrighteyesappearedagain. “Don’tbefrightened,Whitefoot,”saidJumpersoftly. Atthefirstwordthesharplittlefacedisappeared,butinamomentitwasback,andthesharplittleeyeswerefixedonJumpersuspiciously. Afteralongstarethesuspicionleftthem,andoutofthelittleroundholecametrimlittleWhitefootinasoftbrowncoatwithwhitewaistcoatandwithwhitefeetandalong,slimtail. ThiswinterhewasnotlivinginFarmerBrown’ssugarhouse. “Gracious,Jumper,howyoudidscareme!”saidhe. Jumperchuckled.“Whitefoot,IbelieveyouaremoretimidthanIam,”hereplied. “Whyshouldn’tIbe?I’meversomuchsmaller,andIhavemoreenemies,”retortedWhitefoot. “Itistrueyouaresmaller,butIamnotsosurethatyouhavemoreenemies,”repliedJumperthoughtfully.“ItsometimesseemstomethatIcouldn’thavemore,especiallyinwinter.” “Namethem,”commandedWhitefoot. “HootytheGreatHornedOwl,YowlertheBobCat,OldManCoyote,ReddyFox,TerrortheGoshawk,ShadowtheWeasel,BillyMink.”Jumperpaused. “Isthatall?”demandedWhitefoot. “Isn’tthatenough?”retortedJumperrathersharply. “IhaveallofthoseandBlackytheCrowandButchertheShrikeandSammyJayinwinter,andBusterHearandJimmySkunkandseveraloftheSnakefamilyinsummer,”repliedWhitefoot. “ItseemstomesometimesasifIneedeyesandearsalloverme. Nightanddaythereisalwayssomeonehuntingforpoorlittleme. AndthensomefolkswonderwhyIamsotimid. IfIwerenotastimidasIam,Iwouldn’tbealivenow;Iwouldhavebeencaughtlongago. Folksmaylaughatmeforbeingsoeasilyfrightened,butIdon’tcare. Thatiswhatsavesmylifeadozentimesaday.” Jumperlookedinterested.“Ihadn’tthoughtofthat,”saidhe. “I’maverytimidpersonmyself,andsometimesIhavebeenashamedofbeingsoeasilyfrightened. Butcometothinkofit,Iguessyouareright;themoretimidIam,thelongerIamlikelytolive.” Whitefootsuddenlydartedintohishole. Jumperdidn’tmove,buthiseyeswidenedwithfear. Agreatwhitebirdhadjustalightedonastumpashortdistanceaway. ItwasWhiteytheSnowyOwl,downfromtheFarNorth. “Thereisanotherenemywebothforgot,”thoughtJumper,andtriednottoshiver. 
