a pig very much!" the boy said. "And I think I'd like that
one," and he pointed straight at Squinty. Poor Squinty ran and tried to
hide under the straw, for he knew the boy was talking about him.

"Oh, see him run!" cried the boy. "Yes, I think he is the nicest pig in
the lot. I want him. Has he any name?"

"Well, we call him Squinty," the farmer said. "He has a funny, squinting
eye."

"Then I'll call him Squinty, too," the boy went on. "Please, Father, may
I have that little pig?"

"Well, I don't know," said his father slowly, scratching his head. "A
pig is a queer pet. I suppose you might have him, though. You could keep
him in the back yard. Yes, I guess you could have him, if Mr. Jones will
sell him, and if the pig will behave. Do you think that little pig will
be good, Mr. Jones?" asked the father of the farmer man.

"Well, yes, I guess so," answered the farmer. "He has run away out of
the pen a couple of times, but if you board up a place good and tight, I
guess he won't get out."

"Oh, I do hope he'll be good!" exclaimed the boy. "I do so want a little
pet pig, and I'll be so kind to him!"

When Squinty heard that, he made up his mind, if the boy took him, that
he would be as good as he knew how.

"When can I have my little pig?" asked the boy, of his father.

"Oh, as soon as Mr. Jones can put him in a box, so we can carry him,"
was the answer. "We can't very well take him in our arms; he would slip
out and run away."

"I guess so, too," laughed the boy.

CHAPTER VI

SQUINTY ON A JOURNEY

"Mamma, did you hear what they were saying about Squinty?" asked
Wuff-Wuff, as the boy and the two men walked away from the pig pen.

"Oh, yes, I heard," said Mrs. Pig. "I shall be sorry to lose Squinty,
but then we pigs have to go out and take our places in this world. We
cannot always stay at home in the pen."

"Yes, that is so," spoke Mr. Pig. "But Squinty is rather young and small
to start out. However, it may all be for the best. Now, Squinty, you had
better keep yourself nice and clean, so as to be ready to go on a
journey."

"What's a journey?" asked the comical little pig, squinting his eye up
at the papa pig.

"A journey is going away from home," answered Mr. Pig.

"And does it mean having adventures?" asked Squinty, flopping his ears
backward and forward.

"Yes, you may have some adventures," replied his mother. "Oh dear,
Squinty! I wish you didn't have to go and leave us. But still, it