desire to make her acquaintance. I looked at her for a
moment, saw the finely cut features, the beautifully complexioned
cheeks, the smiling lips and graceful figure, and turned away angry at
myself, at the same time that I could not summon courage to address her.
Before I had gone far I heard a dreadful scream a little to my right,
and in an agony of terror a fair-haired young child, of six or seven
years old, rushed towards the sleeper, pursued apparently by one of the
largest of the grunting flock. It was evidently only in the excessive
buoyancy of its porcine spirits that it caracolled, and snuffed, and
galloped in such an imposing manner; but the terror of the little flyer
was as sincere as if it had been a royal Bengal tiger. In a moment I
sprang forward, gave the huge animal a kick with all my might, in a spot
which must have materially improved the tenderness of the ham--and took
the almost fainting child in my arms. The sleeper started up, and was no
little astonished to behold the feat I performed. I muttered a few
confused words, and tried in vain to still the terrors of my young
charge; but in a few minutes our united efforts had the desired effect,
and the elder sister thanked me for my chivalrous interference, and said
she would never forget my kindness.

"It's nothing at all," I said--"I almost wish it had been a bonassus,
and I had had a rifle."

"Oh! a pig, I assure you, is quite enough for us: isn't it, Amy?" Amy
seemed to consider a pig a great deal too much, and looked round in
alarm every time she heard a rustle among the branches.

"It would have enabled me," I said, "to be really useful--like the
master of Ravenswood, I added, when he shot the wild bull."

"But you wouldn't surely wish to see Amy and me in real danger, merely
to have the glory of delivering us from it. That would be too selfish."

"Not selfish if I was certain of saving you; and, besides, it would be
such an excellent introduction."

"But we have already told you, that we are as much indebted for your
interference as if you had put a whole herd of furious cattle to death.
For my part, I am perfectly satisfied with the introduction as it is."

"Then we may consider ourselves friends?" I enquired, gradually becoming
less embarrassed by the manner of the unknown.

"Certainly--I tell you we shall never forget your gallant interference.
It is strange we never met with such an adventure before; for Amy and I
come very often her