Outfoxed Read Online Free PDF

thought of it. Once over that obstacle they continued at a trot through the thick woods.
    The hounds moved faster.
    â€œFools.”
Butch heard the hounds in the distance from the safety of his den.
    â€œShould I give them a run?”
    â€œJust because they’re dumb enough to get soaked doesn’t mean you should.”
Butch scowled at his son, Comet.
    â€œBut they have to go out,”
Inky half said, half questioned.
“It’s their job.”
    â€œWhich is exactly why we aren’t domesticated. Domestication is for weak hearts. You can’t do what you want when you want; you have to do what the human tells you. I hear, though, that the food is quite good.”
    â€œAnd good medical benefits, too,”
his wife, Mary Vey, added. She paused a moment.
“They’re getting closer.”
    â€œFollowing my old trail. Well, let’s give them something to talk about back in the kennel. Damned if I want them digging out our main entrance.”
He grabbed a fresh chicken wing, feathers still on.
“Comet, get the rest.”
    The two males, mouths full of pieces of chicken, walked out the oval entrance to their den.
    â€œWant me to drop them?”
    â€œThrow them all around.”
Butch dropped bones, feathers, a cock’s comb, and a neck in a wide semicircle around the den entrance.
    They casually sauntered back into their snug quarters with four escape routes, one of which hung over Broad Creek, as hounds drew closer.
    The pack in full cry charged upon Butch’s den within seven minutes.
    â€œChicken!”
Dragon squealed as he grabbed the feathered wing.
    â€œMy favorite,”
yelped another hound.
    Archie, with difficulty, resisted the temptation to grab a piece of chicken. He headed instead to the den opening, cocked his head to listen.
    Cora joined him.
“I know they’re in there and they’ll burst out laughing the minute we leave.”
    â€œYou’re right,”
Butch sang out to taunt her.
    Archie turned to exhort the rest of the pack to start digging even though he knew he was sitting over tunnels and other escape routes. But it was too late. Shaker Crown was upon them.
    â€œLeave it!” he bellowed. He then blew three successive short and sharp toots on his horn, which was his signal that he wanted his whips in immediately. Jennifer came up from behind, Douglas galloped up, and Betty rode in from her position.
    Without a word, the mother and younger daughter dismounted, rushing toward the hounds as Sister and Cody trotted up. They, too, dismounted, each human grabbing a hound and pulling the chicken out of its mouth or even reaching into the mouth to pry out the bones.
    They knew that chicken bones could splinter in a hound’s intestine.
    Fifteen minutes of frantic work removed the danger.
    Humans and hounds, muddy, stared at one another.
    Shaker, voice low and stern, chastised them: “How could you? Archie and Cora were the only two hounds doing their job.” He turned on his heel and mounted up. The hounds, heads hanging, were both mortified and enraged, since they could hear the tittering in the den.
    Sister walked over to the den. “Gray. This den has been occupied by grays since I first hunted this territory as a child. Maybe I ought to come back out here and drop them a fixture card.”
    â€œThey know the schedule.” Betty laughed.
    Douglas swung onto the saddle. “They do know.”
    â€œI expect they do.” Sister turned to Lafayette, leading him to a log. She stepped on the log, then lifted up lightly as everyone mounted up. “Well, let’s call it a day.”
    Shaker quietly said, “Come along, hounds.”
    As the small band rode away, Diana, drawn by an overpowering curiosity, snuck back to the den.
    â€œI’ll get her,” Doug volunteered.
    â€œDon’t rate her, Doug. She’s going for the fox and she’s young,” Shaker ordered.
    â€œI