Reddy turned the corner quickly.  Just as he put up one paw to push the gate open, a low but decidedly ugly growl made him jump back with every hair of his coat standing on end.  His first thought was of Bowser.  It must be that Bowser had returned!  Believing in safety first, Reddy did not stop to see who had growled, but ran swiftly a short distance.  Then he looked behind him.  Over at the gate of Farmer Brown’s henyard he could see a dark form.  At once Reddy knew that it wasn’t Bowser the Hound, for it had a bushy tail, while Bowser’s was smooth.  Reddy knew who it was.  It was Old Man Coyote.

[Illustration:  OVER AT THE GATE OF FARMER BROWN’S HENYARD HE COULD SEE A DARK FORM]

CHAPTER XII

THE CLEVERNESS OF OLD MAN COYOTE

    Who thinks the quickest and the best
    Is bound to win in every test.

    Bowser the Hound.

The meeting of Reddy Fox and Old Man Coyote just outside the gate to Farmer Brown’s henyard had been wholly unexpected to both.  Reddy had been so eager to get inside that gate that when he turned the corner at the henyard he hadn’t looked beyond the gate.  If he had looked beyond, he would have seen Old Man Coyote just coming around the other corner.  As for Old Man Coyote, he had been so surprised at sight of Reddy Fox that he had growled before he had had time to think.  He was sorry the very instant he did it.

“That certainly was a stupid thing to do,” muttered Old Man Coyote to himself, as he watched Reddy Fox run away in a panic.  “I should have kept out of sight and let him open that gate and go inside first.  There may be traps in there, for all I know.  When there’s likely to be danger, always let some one else find it out for you if you can.”  Old Man Coyote grinned as he said this.

Reddy Fox sat down at a safe distance to watch what Old Man Coyote would do.  Inside, Reddy was fairly boiling with disappointment and anger.  He felt that he hated Old Man Coyote more than he hated anybody else he knew of.  He hated him, yet there wasn’t a thing he could do about it.  He didn’t dare fight Old Man Coyote.  All he could do was to sit there at a safe distance and watch.

The gate of the henyard was open two or three inches.  For a long time Old Man Coyote stood looking through that little opening.  Once or twice he thrust his nose out and sniffed cautiously around the gate, but he took the greatest care not to touch it.  Finally he turned and trotted away towards the Green Forest.

Reddy sat right where he was, so surprised that he couldn’t even think.  He waited a long time to see if Old Man Coyote would return, but Old Man Coyote didn’t return, and at last Reddy cautiously crept towards that unlocked gate.  “I do believe that fellow didn’t know enough to push that gate open,” muttered Reddy to himself.  “I always supposed Old Man Coyote was smart, but if this is an example of his smartness I’ll match my wits against his any day.”