great-grandmother, that's all," said he,
looking with a somewhat awestruck expression at the transfixed animal.

"Hallo! what's this?" said Jack as he came up. "Why, Peterkin, you must
be fond of a tough chop. If you mean to eat this old hog, she'll try
your jaws, I warrant. What possessed you to stick _her_, Peterkin?"

"Why, the fact is, I want a pair of shoes."

"What have your shoes to do with the old hog?" said I, smiling.

"My present shoes have certainly nothing to do with her," replied
Peterkin; "nevertheless, she will have a good deal to do with my future
shoes. The fact is, when I saw you floor that pig so neatly, Ralph, it
struck me that there was little use in killing another. Then I
remembered all at once that I had long wanted some leather or tough
substance to make shoes of, and this old grandmother seemed so tough
that I just made up my mind to stick her--and you see I've done it!"

"That you certainly have, Peterkin," said Jack as he was examining the
transfixed animal.

We now considered how we were to carry our game home, for, although the
distance was short, the hog was very heavy. At length we hit on the
plan of tying its four feet together, and passing the spear-handle
between them. Jack took one end on his shoulder, I took the other on
mine, and Peterkin carried the small pig.

Thus we returned in triumph to our bower, laden, as Peterkin remarked,
with the glorious spoils of a noble hunt. As he afterwards spoke in
similarly glowing terms in reference to the supper that followed, there
is every reason to believe that we retired that night to our leafy beds
in a high state of satisfaction.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

BOAT-BUILDING EXTRAORDINARY--PETERKIN TRIES HIS HAND AT COOKERY, AND
FAILS MOST SIGNALLY--THE BOAT FINISHED--CURIOUS CONVERSATION WITH THE
CAT, AND OTHER MATTERS.

For many days after this, Jack applied himself with unremitting
assiduity to the construction of our boat, which at length began to look
something like one. But those only who have had the thing to do can
entertain a right idea of the difficulty involved in such an
undertaking, with no other implements than an axe, a bit of hoop-iron, a
sail-needle, and a broken penknife. But Jack did it. He was of that
disposition which _will_ not be conquered. When he believed himself to
be acting rightly, he overcame all obstacles. I have seen Jack, when
doubtful whether what he was about to do were right or wrong, as ti