“NOW I’VE GOT YOU!”
One day Teddy Turtle had a narrow escape from Danny Fox. He was slowly crawling down the Cow Path in the Sunny Meadow when whom should he meet but that old robber. Danny Fox seemed much surprised, but that was only because he was trying to fool the little turtle. You see, Danny Fox had been hiding all the time behind a bush and only came out just when Teddy Turtle crawled by.
“Good morning,” said Danny Fox, with a grin.
“Good morning,” replied Teddy Turtle from inside his little shell house, for as soon as he had seen Danny Fox he had pulled in his head and tail for safe keeping.
“Where are you?” asked Danny Fox. “I don’t see you; I only see your shell house.”
“Well, I’m looking out of the window,” answered Teddy Turtle. But he didn’t put his head out very far, let me tell you.
Danny Fox stood very close, but he didn’t touch Mr. Teddy Turtle. Oh, my, no! There wasn’t any use, for Teddy was safe inside his hard shell house and Danny Fox knew he couldn’t pull him out.
Pretty soon the old robber fox said, “Let’s go down to the Old Duck Pond.”
Now that was just where Teddy Turtle wanted to go, but he didn’t want to go with Danny Fox. So he said instead, “I’ll stay here a while and rest. I’m all tired out.”
Now this was just what Danny Fox didn’t want to do, for as long as Teddy Turtle stood still he could keep his head and tail inside his shell, but as soon as he began to walk he had to poke out his head to see where he was going, and stick his tail out behind to steer himself.
“Oh, come along,” said Danny Fox, “you don’t want to stay here in the path. Mrs. Cow may come along and step on you,” and the sly old fox took a little bell out of his pocket and gave it a ting-a-ling. It sounded just like the bell on Mrs. Cow’s collar.
Teddy Turtle poked out his head and tail and started to crawl away, but, quick as a wink, Danny Fox grabbed him by the tail.
“Now I’ve got you! Now I’ve got you!” shouted that wicked old robber.
“Let me go! Let me go!” cried Teddy Turtle. But Danny Fox wouldn’t. He held on as tight as he could. He wouldn’t have let go for anything, for that was the only way he could pull Teddy Turtle along, and he wanted to take him home for supper.