He is one of the largest of the people who live in the Green Forest . Being so big , it is not easy to hide . Moreover , a hunter with a terrible gun does not have to get close in order to kill . Lightfoot knew all this as he waited for the coming of the hunter of whom Sammy Jay had warned him . He had learned many lessons in the hunting season of the year before and he remembered every one of them . He knew that to forget even one of them might cost him his life . So , standing motionless behind a tangle of fallen trees , Lightfoot listened and watched . Presently over in the distance he heard Sammy Jay screaming , `` Thief , thief , thief ! '' A little sigh of relief escaped Lightfoot . He knew that that screaming of Sammy Jay 's was a warning to tell him where the hunter was . Knowing just where the hunter was made it easier for Lightfoot to know what to do . A Merry Little Breeze came stealing through the Green Forest . It came from behind Lightfoot and danced on towards the hunter with the terrible gun . Instantly Lightfoot began to steal softly away through the Green Forest . He took the greatest care to make no sound . He went in a half-circle , stopping every few steps to listen and test the air with his wonderful nose . Can you guess what Lightfoot was trying to do ? He was trying to get behind the hunter so that the Merry Little Breezes would bring to him the dreaded man-scent . So long as Lightfoot could get that scent , he would know where the hunter was , though he could neither see nor hear him . If he had remained where Sammy Jay had found him , the hunter might have come within shooting distance before Lightfoot could have located him .
So the hunter with the terrible gun walked noiselessly through the Green Forest , stepping with the greatest care to avoid snapping a stick underfoot , searching with keen eye every thicket and likely hiding-place for a glimpse of Lightfoot , and studying the ground for traces to show that XXXXX had been there .
Forest Jay Lightfoot distance gun half-circle man-scent people sound stealing