he stood, with gun partly raised and hand on the trigger, Herbert
rolled off, but Sam had not time to catch the fact when the beast shot
between his legs, and he felt himself lifted off his feet and fairly
whizzing through the air.

Nick Ribsam's torch was burning brightly and illuminated the whole
scene. He was in a stooping position, holding his flaming brand so he
could see everything, and he was laughing so hard that he could hardly
keep from falling to the ground from weakness.

He had recognized the animal, which they had held in such terror, as a
large hog that had doubtless wandered in the woods so long with his
mates, eating the acorns and nuts fallen from the trees, that he was
half wild and ready to attack any one who came near him.

The hog was a lank, bony fellow, with great strength and swiftness of
gait, and, like his fiercer brother the wild boar of Europe, he
possessed undoubted courage.

"Well, if that ain't the funniest sight I ever saw!" roared Nick,
bending himself almost double with laughter; "we thought it was a bear,
and I guess Herbert and Sam are sure it is a royal Bengal tiger or mad
elephant--"

CHAPTER XXVII.

WAS IT A JOKE?

At that instant, Nick Ribsam felt himself suddenly lifted in air and
spinning forward with great speed on the back of the vigorous hog, which
plunged between his rather short legs.

The astounded lad instantly stopped laughing, and, dropping his gun and
torch, grasped at something to sustain himself against the peril, the
nature of which he could hardly guess.

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 t