As they approached it, a squirrel ran up a tree,
and both boys were after it in a second. They
were standing, one on each side of the tree,
gazing up, trying to get a sight of the little
animal among the gray branches, when a sound
came to the ears of both of them at the same
moment.
"What's that?" both asked together.
"It's hogs, grunting."
87



TWO LITTLE CONFEDERATES

"No, they are fighting. They are in the
swamp. Let's run," said Willy.
"No; we'll scare them away. They may be
near the trap, ' ' was Frank's prudent suggestion.
"Let's creep up."

"I hear young pigs squealing. Do you think
they are ours?"

The squirrel was left, flattened out and trem-
bling on top of a large limb, and the boys stole
down the hill toward the pen. The hogs were
not in sight, though they could be heard grunting
and scuffling. They crept closer. Willy crawled
through a thick clump of bushes, and sprang to
his feet with a shout. "We've got 'em! We've
got 'em!" he cried, running toward the pen,
followed by Frank.
Sure enough! There they were, fast in the
pen, fighting and snorting to get out, and tearing
around with the bristles high on their round
backs, the old sow and seven large young hogs ;
while a litter of eight little pigs, as the boys ran
up, squeezed through the rails, and, squealing,
dashed away into the grass.
The hogs were almost frantic at the sight of
the boys, and rushed madly at the sides of the
pen ; but the boys had made it too strong to be
broken.
