about
midnight
`` But the worst thing has happened and it will take a week to grow new skin on dad 's legs . He got acquainted with a bunch of men who were bear hunters and sports , and they talked of the bear shooting in Arkansas , and dad told about how he had killed tigers , lions , elephants and things until they thought he was great . Dad never saw one of those animals except in a menagerie , but when they suggested that he go with them on a bear hunt , he bit like a bass , and the whole bunch went off in a buckboard one morning with guns , lunches , hounds , bottles , and all kinds of ammunition . They did n't let me go but when the crowd came back about midnight , and they carried dad up to his room , and sent for a doctor , one of the horse race men who went along told me all about it . -LSB- Illustration : `` Dad was up on a limb praying , his gun on the ground and his coattails chewed by the wild pigs . '' -RSB- `` He said they went out in a canebrake and stationed dad on a runway for bear , and put in the dogs about a mile away in the swamp , and they left him there for five hours , and when they went to where he was , there was a drove of wild hogs , or peccaries , under a tree , and dad was up , on a limb praying , his gun on the ground ; his coat was chewed by the wild pigs , and the wild animals were jumping up to eat his shoes . The fellows hid behind trees and listened to dad confess his sins , and pray , and promise to do better , and be a good man , and when a wild pig would gnash his teeth and make a jump at him , he would talk swear words at the pig , and then he would put up his hands and ask forgiveness , and promise to lead a different life , and say what a fool he was to be off down here in the sunny south being eaten alive by wild hogs , when he ought to be home enjoying religion .