WhitefoottheWoodMousewasterriblyfrightened.Yes,sir,hewasterriblyfrightened. Itwasalong,longtimesincehehadbeenasfrightenedashenowwas.Heisusedtofrights,isWhitefoot. Hehasthemeverydayandeverynight,butusuallytheyaresuddenfrights,quicklyoverandasquicklyforgotten. Thisfrightwasdifferent.YouseeWhitefoothadcaughtaglimpseofShadowtheWeasel. AndheknewthatifShadowreturnedhewouldbesuretofindthelittleroundholesinthesnowthatleddowntoWhitefoot’sprivatelittletunnelsunderneath. TheonlythingforWhitefoottodowastogetjustasfarfromthatplaceashecouldbeforeShadowshouldreturn. AndsopoorlittleWhitefootstartedoutonajourneythatwastotakehimheknewnotwhere. Allhecoulddowastogoandgoandgountilhecouldfindasafehiding-place. My,my,butthatwasadreadfuljourney! Everytimeatwigsnapped,Whitefoot’sheartseemedtojumprightupinhisthroat. Everytimehesawamovingshadow,andthebranchesofthetreesmovinginthewindwereconstantlymakingmovingshadowsonthesnow,hedodgedbehindatreetrunkorunderapieceofbarkorwhereverhecouldfindahiding-place. Yousee,Whitefoothassomanyenemiesalwayslookingforhimthathehideswheneverheseesanythingmoving. Whenathome,heisforeverdodginginandoutofhishiding-places. So,becauseeverythingwasstrangetohim,andbecauseofthegreatfearofShadowtheWeasel,hesuspectedeverythingthatmovedandeverysoundheheard. Foralongwaynoonesawhim,fornoonewasabout. YetallthatwayWhitefoottwistedanddodgedanddartedfromplacetoplaceandwasjustasbadlyfrightenedasiftherehadbeenenemiesallabout. hekeptsayingoverandovertohimself.“WherevershallIgo?WhatevershallIdo?HowevershallIgetenoughtoeat? Iwon’tdaregobacktogetfoodfrommylittlestorehouses,andIshallhavetoliveinastrangeplacewhereIwon’tknowwheretolookforfood.Iamgettingtired.Mylegsache.I‘mgettinghungry.Iwantmynice,warm,softbed.Oh,dear!Oh,dear!Oh,dearme!” Butinspiteofhisfrights,Whitefootkepton. Yousee,hewasmoreafraidtostopthanhewastogoon. HejusthadtogetasfarfromShadowtheWeaselashecould. Beingsuchalittlefellow,whatwouldbeashortdistanceforyouormeisalongdistanceforWhitefoot. Andsothatjourneywastohimverylongindeed. Ofcourse,itseemedlongerbecauseoftheconstantfrightswhichcameonerightafteranother.Itreallywasaterriblejourney. Yetifhehadonlyknownit,therewasn’tathingalongthewholewaytobeafraidof. Youknowitoftenhappensthatpeoplearefrightenedmorebywhattheydon’tknowthanbywhattheydoknow. 
