The hog had struck him from the front, so that Nick was seated in
reverse position on his back. The object which he grasped was the spiral
tail of the animal, but, before he could make his grip certain, the
porker swerved so suddenly to one side that Nick rolled off and bumped
against a tree.
His body was not hurt to one half the extent that his feelings were, for
he heard Sam Harper roaring with mirth, loud enough to be heard half a
mile; and as Nick hastily clambered upon his feet, he was certain
Herbert's cracked laugh was also rending the night air.
The porker, having made the round and paid his tribute to each member of
the company in turn, whisked off into the woods, with a triumphant
grunt, as if to say, "I guess you folks and your dog will let me alone
now."
As soon as the boys found their guns, and restored two of the torches to
a blaze, they looked at each other and gave way to their unrestrained
mirth for several minutes before they could speak so as to be
understood.
Never had a pompous expedition ended more ignobly: they had started out
to attack a fierce black bear, and unexpectedly were overturned by a
large-sized pig, which resented the interference with his slumber.
Some naturalists maintain that many animals possess a sense of the
humorous, and it looked as though the sluggish Bowser enjoyed the joke
as much as did the victims; for, when the latter made their way back to
the camp fire, they saw the hound stretched out close to the warm blaze
with his head between his paws and apparently asleep; but, watching him
closely, he was seen to open one of his eyes, just a little ways, and,
surveying them a minute, he closed it to open again a minute later.
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