Who runs in circles never gets far. Bowser the Hound.
       To be artful is to be very clever. It is to do things in a way so clever that people will not see what you are really doing. No one can be more artful than Blacky the Crow when he sets out to be.
       Blacky was smart enough not to let Reddy know that he was seeking Reddy's help for Bowser. He soon found out that Reddy would not knowingly help the least little bit, so he decided at once that the only thing for him to do was to get Reddy to help unsuspectingly. He changed the subject very abruptly.
       "How are the chickens at Farmer Brown's?" inquired he.
       Reddy looked up and grinned. "They seem to be in just as good health as ever," said he, "so far as I can judge. Farmer Brown's boy seems to be terribly suspicious. He locks them up at night so tight that not even Shadow the Weasel could get his nose inside that henhouse."
       Blacky's eyes twinkled, but he took care that Reddy should not see them. "Farmer Brown's boy is different from some folks I know," said he.
       "How's that?" demanded Reddy Fox.
       "Why," replied Blacky, "there is a certain farmyard I know of where the hens are not kept shut up at all in the daytime, but run around where they please. I see them every day when I am flying over. They certainly are fine-looking hens. I don't think I've ever seen fatter ones. Some of them are so fat they can hardly run."
       As Reddy Fox listened, a look of eagerness crept into his eyes, and his mouth began to water. He just couldn't help it. "Where did you say those hens are?" he asked, trying to speak carelessly.
       "I didn't say," replied Blacky, turning his head aside to hide a grin. "It is a long way from here, Reddy, so I don't believe you would really be interested."
       "That all depends," replied Reddy. "I would go a long way if it were worth while. I don't suppose you noticed if there were any dogs about where those hens are?"
       Blacky pretended not to hear this. "I've often thought," said he, "of you and Mrs. Reddy as I have looked down at those fat hens. It is too bad that they are so far away."

Chapter I. Old Man Coyote Leads Bowser Away
Chapter II. Old Man Coyote Plays a Trick
Chapter III. What Happened to Bowser
Chapter IV. Poor Bowser
Chapter V. Bowser Spends a Bad Night
Chapter VI. The Surprise of Blacky the Crow
Chapter VII. Blacky the Crow Takes Pity on Bowser
Chapter VIII. How Blacky the Crow Helped Bowser
Chapter IX. Old Man Coyote Gives Out Dark Hints
Chapter X. How Reddy Fox Investigated
Chapter XI. A Little Unpleasantness
Chapter XII. The Cleverness of Old Man Coyote
Chapter XIII. The Mischievous Little Night Breeze
Chapter XIV. The Difference Between Being Inside and Outside
Chapter XV. Reddy's Forlorn Chance
Chapter XVI. Why Reddy Went Without a Chicken Dinner
Chapter XVII. Farmer Brown's Boy Drops a Pan of Corn
Chapter XVIII. Mutual Relief
Chapter XIX. Where Was Bowser the Hound?
Chapter XX. Where Bowser Was
Chapter XXI. Bowser Becomes a Prisoner
Chapter XXII. Farmer Brown's Boy Looks in Vain
Chapter XXIII. Bowser's Great Voice
Chapter XXIV. Blacky Tries to Get Help
Chapter XXV. Blacky Calls on Reddy Fox
Chapter XXVI. Red Wits and Black Wits
Chapter XXVII. The Artfulness of Blacky
Chapter XXVIII. Reddy Fox Dreams of Chickens
Chapter XXIX. Reddy Tries to Arouse Blacky's Pity
Chapter XXX. Blacky the Crow is All Pity
Chapter XXXI. Blacky is Much Pleased with Himself
Chapter XXXII. Blacky Waits for Reddy
Chapter XXXIII. Reddy Watches the Fat Hens
Chapter XXXIV. Patience and Impatience
Chapter XXXV. Things Happen All at Once
Chapter XXXVI. Reddy Hides the Fat Hen
Chapter XXXVII. Farmer Brown's Boy Has a Glad Surprise
Chapter XXXVIII. Reddy Goes Back for His Fat Hen
Chapter XXXIX. A Vanished Dinner
Chapter XL. Where was Reddy's Dinner?
Chapter XLI. What Blacky the Crow Saw
Chapter XLII. All is Well That Ends Well