All of a sudden, as the piggie boy was going along, he came to a hole in the ground, and while he was wondering who lived there, all at once out popped a big fox, with a tail as large as a dusting brush.

“This is where I get you!” cried the fox, and he made a spring for the piggie boy.  But Flop Ear was too quick for him, and away he sprang, with the big-tailed creature after him.

“Stop!  Stop!  Wait for me!” cried the fox.

“I can’t—­I haven’t time,” answered Flop, and on he went, faster than before.  But a fox is a good racer, and soon he was almost up to the piggie.  Just then Flop Ear dashed behind a big log, and there he found a little mouse sitting.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” asked the mouse.

“Because the fox is after me,” replied Flop Ear, “and he is right behind me, ready to grab me.”

“Squeak!” cried the mouse.  “The only way to get clear from a fox is to fool him.  Now what have you there besides the cake of chocolate?” asked the mouse, for he could see that plainly enough.

“A stocking full of leaves,” answered Flop, “and one empty.  Also part of a cookie.”

“Very well,” spoke the mouse.  “Give me the cookie, and I will tell you how to fool the fox.”

Well, Flop Ear did not want to give away his cookie, but he thought it was better to do that than to be eaten himself, so he gave the sweet little cake to the mouse, who said: 

“Now, when the fox comes up here, just toss out over the log the stocking filled with leaves.  The fox will think it is you, and he will carry it off to his den before he finds out his mistake.  By that time you can run off home.”

“But I will lose the Christmas stocking,” said the piggie boy.

“It is better to lose one stocking than your life,” said the mouse.  “Besides, one of those stockings is big enough for any piggie boy for Christmas.”

Then Flop Ear did as he was told.  Just as the fox came running along, over the log the piggie boy tossed the stocking filled with leaves.  The fuzzy creature grabbed it, crying out: 

“Ah, this is the time I have Floppy!” and he imagined the pig was in the stocking.  Without stopping to look, off to his den ran the fox with the stocking filled with leaves, and when he found out his mistake—­oh wow!  Wasn’t he disappointed though!

But Floppy got safely home with the other stocking and the cake of chocolate and nothing else happened that night, except that Mrs. Twistytail sent the kind mouse a souvenir postal inviting him to come to the Christmas dinner.

And on the next page, provided the pussy cat draws a pail of pink lemonade from the white inkwell, and gives the rubber doll a drink, I’ll tell you about the Twistytails’ Christmas.

STORY XXXI

THE TWISTYTAILS’ CHRISTMAS

“’Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even—­an automobile,” read Curly Tail, the little piggie boy as he sat by the open fireplace in his house.