rubbing his bruised elbows and knees.

"That would have been impossible, for we could not have foreseen it
ourselves if we had arranged the joke; he simply meant to mislead us,
and then we acted the fool for _his_ amusement."

It looked very much as if Nick Ribsam was correct in his supposition,
and that Bowser enjoyed even more than they the shrewd trick he had
played on them.

"I suppose there are several hundred hogs wandering through the woods,"
said Nick, "picking up acorns and nuts that have fallen off the trees,
and making a good living at it."

"Yes, lots of them have been running wild for weeks and months," added
Sam, "and when their owners try to gather them in, there will be
trouble, for it doesn't take hogs long to become savage."

"It didn't take that hog very long, I'm sure," observed Herbert, sitting
down with care upon the ground.

"But how was it there was but _one_?" asked Sam.

"There wasn't need of any more than one," said Nick; "he had no trouble
in doing as he pleased with us."

"But hogs go in droves, and you wouldn't be apt to find one of them by
himself in the woods."

"There were others close by, for I am sure I heard them; but it is a