Doing as Reddy did that night is called exercising self-restraint.
Everybody should be able to do it. But it sometimes seems as if very
many people cannot do it. Anyway, they don't do it, and because they
don't do it they are forever getting into trouble.

Reddy knew when morning came, although the henhouse was still dark.
Somehow or other hens always know just when jolly, round, red Mr. Sun
kicks his blankets off and begins his daily climb up in the blue, blue
sky. The big rooster on the topmost perch stretched his long neck,
flapped his wings, and crowed at the top of his voice. Reddy shivered.
"It won't be long now before Farmer Brown's boy comes," thought he.




CHAPTER XVII

FARMER BROWN'S BOY DROPS A PAN OF CORN

Who when surprised keeps calm and cool
Is one most difficult to fool.

_Bowser the Hound._


In his lifetime Reddy Fox has spent many anxious moments, but none more
anxious than those in which he waited for Farmer Brown's boy to open the
henhouse and feed the biddies on this particular morning.