tle pig
recovered its feet, tossed up its tail, and fled shrieking from the spot.
But I slang a large stone after it, which, being fortunately well aimed,
hit it behind the ear, and felled it to the earth.

"Capital, Ralph! that's your sort!" cried Peterkin, who, to my surprise
and great relief, had risen to his feet. Apparently unhurt, though much
dishevelled, he rushed franticly towards the gorge, which the yells of
the hogs told us they were now approaching. I had made up my mind that I
would abstain from killing another, as, if Peterkin should be successful,
two were more than sufficient for our wants at the present time. Suddenly
they all burst forth,--two or three little round ones in advance, and an
enormous old sow with a drove of hogs at her heels.

"Now, Peterkin," said I, "there's a nice little fat one; just spear it."

But Peterkin did not move; he allowed it to pass unharmed. I looked at
him in surprise, and saw that his lips were compressed and his eyebrows
knitted, as if he were about to fight with some awful enemy.

"What is it?" I inquired, with some trepidation.

Suddenly he levelled his spear, darted forward, and, with a yell that
nearly froze the blood in my veins, stabbed the old sow to the heart.
Nay, so vigorously was it done that the spear went in at one side and
came out at the other!

"Oh, Peterkin!" said I, going up to him, "what have you done?"

"Done? I've killed their great-great-grandmother, that's all," said he,
looking with a somewhat awe-struck expression at the transfixed animal.

"Hallo! what's this?" said Jack, as he came up. "Why, Peterkin, you must
be fond of a tough chop. If you mean to eat this old hog, she'll try
your jaws, I warrant. What possessed you to stick _her_, Peterkin?"

"Why, the fact is I want a pair of shoes."

"What have your shoes to do with the old hog?' said I, smiling.

"My present shoes have certainly nothing to do with her," replied
Peterkin; "nevertheless she will have a good deal to do with my future
shoes. The fact is, when I saw you floor that pig so neatly, Ralph, it
struck me that there was little use in killing another. Then I
remembered all at once that I had long wanted some leather or tough
substance to make shoes of, and this old grandmother seemed so tough that
I just made up my mind to stick her, and you see I've done it!"

"That you certainly have, Peterkin," said Jack, as he was examining the
transfixed animal.

We now c