e. In an instant he
reappeared at the northern corner, with Bill still fastened to his ear
and the hounds in full cry just one jump behind him. It is not an
accurate statement to say that Wild Bill was running beside the pig,
for his stride was so elongated that when one of his feet left the
ground it was impossible to predict when or where it would strike the
earth, or whether it would ever strike again. The two flying objects,
as they came careering down the slope directly toward the Trapper, who
was heroically holding himself above the aperture in the box with the
porcine volcano in full play under him, presented the dreadful
appearance of Biela's comet when, rent by some awful explosion, the
one half was on the point of taking its eternal farewell of the other.

"Lift the muzzle of yer piece, Wild Bill!" yelled the Trapper. "Lift
the muzzle, I say, and allow three feet for windage, or ye'll make me
the bull's-eye for yer pig!"

The advice, or rather, let us say, the expostulation of the Trapper,
was the best which, under the circumstances, could be given, but no
directions, however correct, might prevent the dreadful catastrophe.
The old man stuck heroically to his post, and the pig stuck with equal
pertinacity to his course. He struck the box on which the Trapper sat
with the force of a stone from a catapult, and dogs, men, and pigs
disappeared in the snow.

When the Trapper had wiped the snow from his eyes, the spectacle that
he beheld was, to say the least, extraordinary. The head of one dog
was in sight above the snow, and nigh the head he could make out the
hind legs and tail of another. In an instant Wild Bill's cap came in
sight, and from under it a series of sounds was coming as if he were
talking earnestly to himself, while far down the trail leading to the
river he caught the glimpse of two sandy-colored objects going at a
speed to which matter can only attain when it has become permanently
detached from this earth and superior to the laws of gravitation.

For several minutes not a word was said. The catastrophe had been so
overwhelming and the wreck of Bill's hopes so complete that it made
speech on his part impossible. The Trapper, from a fine sense of
feeling and regard for his companion, remained silent, and the dogs,
uncertain as to what was expected of them, kept their places in the
snow. At last the old man struggled to his feet and silently started
toward the cabin. Wild Bill followed in equal