Never in his life had Reddy Fox visited Farmer Brown's henhouse with
quite such a comfortable feeling as he now had. He knew for a certainty
that Bowser the Hound was not at home. He knew because he had finally
crept up and peeped in the door of Bowser's little house. What had
become of Bowser he didn't know, and he didn't care. It was enough to
know that he wasn't about.

"I hope Farmer Brown's boy has forgotten to close that little doorway
where the hens run in and out," muttered Reddy, as he trotted across
Farmer Brown's dooryard. Once he stopped, and looking up at the lighted
windows of the house, grinned. You see, with Bowser gone, Reddy wasn't
the least bit afraid.

"If I can get into that henhouse," thought Reddy, "I certainly will have
one good feast to-night. That is, I will if those stupid hens are not
roosting so high that I can't get them. I'll eat one right there."
Reddy's mouth watered at the very thought. "Then I'll take one home to
Mrs. Reddy. If there is time we both will come back for a couple more."

So Reddy made pleasant plans as he approached Farmer Brown's henhouse.
When he reached it he paused to listen to certain sounds within, certain
fretful little cluckings. Reddy sat down for a minute with his tongue
hanging out and the water actually dripping from it. He could shut his
eyes and see those roosts with the hens crowded together so that every
once in a while one would be wakened and fretfully protest against being
crowded so.

But Reddy sat there only for a minute. He was too eager to find out if
it would prove to be possible to get inside that henhouse. Running