Now when Lightfoot , following behind the hunter , had lost the scent of the latter , he guessed right away that the latter had found his tracks and had started to follow them . Lightfoot stood still and listened with all his might for some little sound to tell him where the hunter was . But there was no sound and after a little Lightfoot began to move on . He did n't dare remain still , lest the hunter should creep up within shooting distance . There was only one direction in which it was safe for Lightfoot to move , and that was the direction from which the Merry Little Breezes were blowing . So long as they brought him none of the dreaded man-smell , he knew that he was safe . The hunter might be behind him -- probably he was -- but ahead of him , so long as the Merry Little Breezes were blowing in his face and brought no man-smell , was safety . CHAPTER IX : Lightfoot Becomes Uncertain Lightfoot the Deer traveled on through the Green Forest , straight ahead in the direction from which the Merry Little Breezes were blowing . Every few steps he would raise his delicate nose and test all the scents that the Merry Little Breezes were bringing . So long as he kept the Merry Little Breezes blowing in his face , he could be sure whether or not there was danger ahead of him . Lightfoot uses his nose very much as you and I use our eyes . It tells him the things he wants to know . He knew that Reddy Fox had been along ahead of him , although he did n't get so much as a glimpse of Reddy 's red coat . Once he caught just the faintest of scents which caused him to stop abruptly and test the air more carefully than ever . It was the scent of Buster Bear . But it was so very faint that Lightfoot knew Buster was not near , so he went ahead again , but even more carefully than before . After a little he could n't smell Buster at all , so he knew then that Buster had merely passed that way when he was going to some other part of the Green Forest . Lightfoot knew that he had nothing to fear in that direction so long as the Merry Little Breezes brought him none of the dreaded man-scent , and he knew that he could trust the Merry Little Breezes to bring him that scent if there should be a man anywhere in front of him . You know the Merry Little Breezes are Lightfoot 's best friends . But Lightfoot did n't want to keep going in that direction all day .
It would take him far away from that part of the Green XXXXX with which he was familiar and which he called home .
Bear Buster Forest Fox Lightfoot Reddy day man-smell right scents