it was no wonder that master meadow mouse was startled. he cowered inside his nest in the top of the shock of corn. the whole shock shook. there was a terrible rustle of dry leaves as fatty coon tore away stalk after stalk.

"old mr. crow never did this!" master meadow mouse stammered. "he never disturbed my rest. but this awful fatty coon means to catch me. and i don't know what to do."

meanwhile fatty coon was muttering horribly to himself as he worked.

"this fellow must be fat," he grunted, as he wrenched at a stubborn stalk with claws and teeth. "with all this corn to feast on he must be in fine trim. mm! he ought to be just right to top off a good meal of corn."

"my goodness!" master meadow mouse gasped. "how annoying! he intends to eat me!"

for a few moments master meadow mouse wondered whether he ought to fight or run. "i wish," he thought, "that i'd brought my old sign with me when i moved to this new home. if i had hung it outside my door fatty coon wouldn't have bothered me. when he read that notice, 'gone to lunch. back to-morrow,' he would have shuffled off about his business." but idle thoughts and wishes were of no use at a time like that. master meadow mouse soon realized that he must act—and act quickly.

"maybe i'll bite his nose," he said to himself. "but i want to peep at him first."

so master meadow mouse left his nest and crept a short distance until he could peer out from a chink between two cornstalks. in the moonlight he had a fine view of fatty coon. and as he stared at the intruder meadow mouse shuddered.

"no!" he exclaimed. "no! i never could fight him. i wouldn't dare bite his nose. he's far, far too big for me to tackle."

there was no denying that fatty coon looked both huge and dangerous. across his face was a black mask which only added to his horrid appearance. and through the mask his eyes shone green and greedy right into the frightened ones of master meadow mouse.

one good look was enough for master meadow mouse. he drew back hurriedly. through his mind there flashed a saying of his mother's that he had not thought of for a long time: "he that fights and runs away will live to fight another day."

"i'll run first," master meadow mouse decided. "then perhaps i shan't have to fight at all."

then he stole out of the shock of corn, on the opposite side. and when fatty coon pawed his way through to the nest he found it empty.

he gave a wail of anger and dismay.

"he's gone! the meadow mouse has gone!" fatty bawled. "and i'll warrant he was a fat one, too. it's always the fattest ones that get away. and nobody can deny that this one was living high."