e owners of two of the tow heads soon departed. They were Solomon and
Isaac. Being fourteen years old, they were too ancient to care much for
pigs. Elias and John also went away. They had business elsewhere in the
shape of woodchuck traps. Philemon would fain have lingered near, had he
not made an engagement to play "two old cat" with Tom Tadgers.

As for Romeo Augustus, no charm of bat or ball would have drawn him from
that pen, since he had seen one of the small pigs stagger about in a
strange fashion, and then sink down in a corner. Something was wrong
with that pig.

Romeo Augustus peered and peeped. At last into the pen he climbed, and
caught the little pig in his arms.

Then there was a hubbub indeed. Up rushed the mother in terrible
excitement. Round and round spun the twelve brothers and sisters, each
crying, "No, no, no, no," in a voice as fine as a knitting-needle, and
as sharp as a razor edge.

But Romeo Augustus kept a steady head. Back over the pen he scrambled,
pig and all, and sat down on the barn floor to find out the trouble.

Ah! here was enough to make any pig stagger. Two little legs dangled
helplessly--one fore-leg, one hind-leg. The bones were broken.

At first Romeo Augustus was tempted to weep. What good would that do? It
was far better to coax the bones into place, put sticks up and down for
splints, and bind one leg tight with his neck-tie, the other with his
very best pocket-handkerchief.

It was not an easy job. The pig did writhe and twist, while the frantic
mother danced up and down in the pen behind, and drove the surgeon
nearly crazy with her noise. But he toiled bravely on, and when at last
the operation was done, the heart of Romeo Augustus was knit unto that
small pig in bonds of deep affection.

"I love him as if he was my--_daughter_," said Romeo Augustus,
solemnly. He did not confide this to his twin brother Philemon: Philemon
would have jeered. He told it to Elias, who was poetical, and had a soul
for sentiment. Elias nodded, and said,

"Just so!" That showed sympathy. He also added, "Why don't you keep him
for your own, and call him Leggit or Bones?"

"No," answered Romeo Augustus, with dignity; "his name shall be
Mephibosheth, for the man who followed King David, and was lame in both
his feet."

For five weeks Romeo Augustus nursed and fed and tended that pig. In
time the legs grew strong. Mephibosheth was as brisk as any pig need be.
Romeo Augustus rejoiced over him