Now, mind you pitch into a fat young
pig, Peterkin," added Jack, as he sprang into the bushes.
"Won't I, just!" said Peterkin, licking his lips, as we took our
station beside the cliff. "I feel quite a tender affection for young
pigs in my heart. Perhaps it would be more correct to say in my s--"
"There they come!" cried I, as a terrific yell from Jack sent the whole
herd screaming down the hill. Now Peterkin, being unable to hold back,
crept a short way up a very steep, grassy mound, in order to get a
better view of the hogs before they came up; and just as he raised his
head above its summit, two little pigs, which had outrun their
companions, rushed over the top with the utmost precipitation. One of
these brushed close past Peterkin's ear; the other, unable to arrest
its headlong flight, went, as Peterkin himself afterwards expressed it,
"bash" into his arms with a sudden squeal, which was caused more by the
force of the blow than the will of the animal, and both of them rolled
violently down to the foot of the mound. No sooner was this reached
than the little pig recovered its feet, tossed up its tail, and fled
shrieking from the spot. But I slung 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.
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