mself that he should ever have a son that should eat burnt pig.

Bo-bo, whose scent was wonderfully sharpened since morning, soon raked out
another pig, and, fairly rending it asunder, thrust the lesser half by
main force into the fists of Ho-ti, still shouting out, "Eat, eat, eat the
burnt pig, father! only taste! Oh!" with such like barbarous ejaculations,
cramming all the while as if he would choke.

11. Ho-ti trembled in every joint while he grasped the abominable thing,
wavering whether he should not put his son to death for an unnatural young
monster, when the crackling scorching his fingers, as it had done his
son's, and applying the same remedy to them, he in his turn tasted some of
its flavor, which, make what sour mouths he would for a pretense, proved
not altogether displeasing to him. In conclusion (for the manuscript here
is a little tedious), both father and son fairly sat down to the mess, and
never left off till they had dispatched all that remained of the litter.

12. Bo-bo was strictly enjoined not to let the secret escape, for the
neighbors would certainly have stoned them for a couple of abominable
wretches, who could think of improving upon the good meat which God had
sent them. Nevertheless strange stories got about. It was observed that
Ho-ti's cottage was burnt down now more frequently than ever. Nothing but
fires from this time forward. Some would break out in broad day, others in
the night-time; and Ho-ti himself, which was the more remarkable, instead
of chastising his son, seemed to grow more indulgent to him than ever.

13. At length they were watched, the terrible mystery discovered, and
father and son summoned to take their trial at Pekin, then an
inconsiderable assize town. Evidence was given, the obnoxious food itself
produced in court, and verdict about to be pronounced, when the foreman of
the jury begged that some of the burnt pig, of which the culprits stood
accused, might be handed into the box.

14. He handled it, and they all handled it; and burning their fingers, as
Bo-bo and his father had done before them, and nature prompting to each of
them the same remedy, against the face of all the facts, and the clearest
charge which the judge had ever given,--to the surprise of the whole
court, townsfolk, strangers, reporters, and all present,--without leaving
the box, or any manner of consultation whatever, they brought in a
simultaneous verdict of "Not Guilty."

15. The judge, who