Mr. Turkey Buzzard was guarding the hollow where Brer Rabbit had hidden. He felt might lonesome, but he had promised Brer Fox that he'd stay, so he decided to hang around and join in the joke. He didn't have long to wait, because soon Brer Fox came galloping through the woods with his axe on his shoulder.
"How do you expect Brer Rabbit's getting on, Brer Buzzard?" asked Brer Fox.
"Oh, he's in there," answered Brer Buzzard. "He's mighty still, though, I expect he's taking a nap."
"Then I'm just in time to wake him up," said Brer Fox. And with that he flung off his coat, spit in his hands and grabbed the axe. Then he drew back and came down on the tree--pow! And every time he came down with the axe--pow!-- Brer Buzzard would jump and dodge and hold his head sideways, and holler: "He's in there, Brer Fox. I heard him. He's in there, for sure."
Brer Fox lammed away at that hollow tree like a man splitting rails, until, b and by, after he got the tree 'most cut through, he stopped to catch his breath. Then he saw Brer Buzzard laughing behind his back and right then and there, without going any further, Brer Fox smelled a rat. But Brer Buzzard kept on hollering, "he's in there, Brer Fox. He's in there sure. I saw him!"
Then Brer Fox pretended to peek up the hollow tree and said, "Run here, Brer Buzzard, and see if this isn't Brer Rabbit's foot hanging down here."
Brer Buzzard came stepping up as if he were treading on prickles and stuck his head in the hole. No sooner had he done that than Brer Fox grabbed him. Brer Buzzard flapped his wings and scrambled around as hard as he could, but it was no use--Brer Fox had the advantage and he held him right down to the ground.
Then Brer Buzzard screamed, "Let me alone, Brer Fox. Turn me loose! Brer Rabbit'll get out. You're getting close to him," he yelled. "Eleven more licks with the axe and you'll have him."
"I'm nearer to you, Brer Buzzard," growled Brer Fox, "than I'll be to Brer Rabbit this day. What did you fool me for?"
"Let me alone, Brer Fox," whimpered Mr. Buzzard. "My wife is waiting for me. Brer Rabbit's in there."
"There's a bunch of his fur on that blackberry bush," said Brer Fox, "and that's not the way he came."
Then Brer Buzzard told Brer Fox the truth, and he said he thought Brer Rabbit was the "lowdownest what's-his-name that ever he'd met. And Brer Fox said, "That's neither here nor there, Brer Buzzard. I left you here to watch this hole, and I left Brer Rabbit in there. I come back and I find you at the hole, and Brer Rabbit's not in there. I'm going to make you pay for it! I've been teased to the point where even a little bird will sit on a log and sass me. I'm going to fling you in a brush heap and burn you up!"
"If you fling me on the fire, Brer Fox, I'll fly away," said Brer Buzzard.
Well then, I'll settle your hash right now," growled Brer Fox, and with that, he grabbed Brer Buzzard by the tail and was just about to dash him against the ground. Just at that moment the tail feathers came out and Brer Buzzard sailed off like a balloon, and as he rose, he hollered back, "You gave me a good start, Brer Fox," and Brer Fox sat there and watched him fly out of sight.
