At the extreme end , facing Reddy Fox , sat Billy Mink , with the plump duck right under his sharp little nose . Boomer the Nighthawk excused himself on the plea that he needed exercise to aid digestion , and as he had brought nothing to the feast , his excuse was politely accepted . Reddy Fox is very , very cunning , and his crafty brain had been busily working out a plan to get all these good things for himself . `` Little brothers of the Green Meadows , '' began Reddy Fox , `` we have met here to-night for a feast of brotherly love . '' Reddy Fox paused a moment to look hungrily at Billy Mink 's duck . Billy Mink cast a longing eye at Little Joe Otter 's trout , while Jimmy Skunk stole an envious glance at Reddy Fox 's chicken . `` But there is one missing to make our joy complete , '' continued Reddy Fox . `` Who has seen Bobby Coon ? '' No one had seen Bobby Coon . Somehow happy-go-lucky Bobby Coon had been overlooked when the invitations were sent out . `` I move , '' continued Reddy Fox , `` that because Billy Mink runs swiftly , and because he knows where Bobby Coon usually is to be found , he be appointed a committee of one to find Bobby Coon and bring him to the feast . '' Now nothing could have been less to the liking of Billy Mink , but there was nothing for him to do but to yield as gracefully as he could and go in search of Bobby Coon . No sooner had Billy Mink disappeared down the Lone Little Path than Reddy Fox recalled a nest of grouse eggs he had seen that day under a big hemlock , and he proposed that inasmuch as Jimmy Skunk already wore stripes for having stolen a nest of eggs from Mrs. Grouse , he was just the one to go steal these eggs and bring them to the feast . Of course there was nothing for Jimmy Skunk to do but to yield as gracefully as he could and go in search of the nest of eggs under the big hemlock . No sooner had Jimmy Skunk started off than Reddy Fox remembered a big shining sucker Farmer Brown 's boy had caught that afternoon and tossed among the rushes beside the Smiling Pool . Little Joe Otter listened and his mouth watered and watered until he could sit still no longer . `` If you please , '' said Little Joe Otter , `` I 'll run down to the Smiling Pool and get that sucker to add to the feast . '' No sooner was Little Joe Otter out of sight than Reddy Fox was reminded of a field of carrots on the other side of the Green Meadows . Now Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare are very fond of tender young carrots and they volunteered to bring a supply for the feast . So away they hurried with big jumps down the Lone Little Path and out across the Green Meadows .
No sooner were Peter XXXXX and Jumper the Hare fairly started than Reddy Fox began to tell of some luscious sweet apples he had noticed under a wild apple tree a little way back on the hill .
Fox Meadows Mink Nighthawk Otter Rabbit Skunk afternoon day right