when doctor rabbit had all his signs tacked up on the front doors, the homes of the little creatures of the big green woods certainly presented a funny sight. that is, it was funny to doctor rabbit and his friends, but it would not be funny to tom wildcat when he saw those signs; i should say not! and now doctor rabbit was all ready for tom wildcat to come over from his home in the hollow tree near the deep river.

for several mornings old tom had come over to the big green woods pretty early; but after he had had such bad luck in letting stubby woodchuck and chatty squirrel get away, he decided not to come for a time. he thought perhaps[pg 81] they would forget about him, and then he could slip in suddenly and surprise them.

meanwhile he was fortunate in pouncing upon a foolish young chicken that had strayed from the farmer’s barnyard and gone too near the deep river.

the next morning tom wildcat was fortunate again. a big, fat woodrat, that had been over to farmer roe’s feasting on a very young chicken, was hurrying back home when he ran too close to the tree where tom wildcat lived. you may be sure tom gobbled up that woodrat in a hurry.

afterward he smacked his lips and said, “that reminds me that i haven’t been over to the big green woods for several days. probably by this time those people over there have forgotten all about me. i’ll just pay them a visit[pg 82] this very day. what i really need now is rabbit, and blue jay, and woodchuck, and things of that sort. one gets rather tired of chicken and rat. yes, i need a change in diet, and i’ll just slip over and pay my friends a visit. they have not invited me, but i’ll slip over anyway, just to be friendly,” and sly old tom smiled until he showed all of his very sharp teeth. he was surely pleased at the thought of stealing into the big green woods again. and his sore foot was now entirely well.