it was a wonder that johnnie green and his father ever found grunty pig.
soon after henrietta hen left him, grunty crept out of the lane and wandered into the cornfield. he had an idea that henrietta might go and tell his mother that she had seen him wallowing in the mud behind the barn. and he did not want to be dragged back to the pigpen.
grunty had no way of knowing that henrietta hen forgot all about him before she had crossed the farmyard. she fell into a loud dispute with a neighbor. and she never thought of grunty again.
grunty pig enjoyed his ramble into the field of waving corn. the corn was sweet; and the dirt was loose—just the finest sort to root in that a body could possibly want. he had the place all to himself until at last a black gentleman came flying up in a great hurry and ordered him in a hoarse voice to "get out of the corn—and be quick about it!"
on him grunty pig tried the same trick that he had used on henrietta hen. he looked up with a stupid stare at the newcomer and said never a word.
old mr. crow—for it was he that had commanded grunty to leave—old mr. crow abused him roundly. mr. crow was not empty-headed, like henrietta hen. he was not to be deceived so easily.
"why don't you answer me?" he bawled. "you make noise enough when you're at home. i've heard you often, way across the cornfield." mr. crow cawed so angrily that a dozen of his cronies flew over from the woods to see what was going on. and the whole thirteen made such an uproar that farmer green couldn't help noticing them. he and johnnie were in the orchard, hunting for grunty pig.
"those crows are up to some mischief," farmer green declared. "you don't suppose—do you?—that they're teasing that pig?"
well, johnnie green was willing to go and find out. and sure enough! he found grunty in the cornfield.
johnnie green picked him up, tucked him under his arm—plastered with dried mud as he was—and brought him in triumph to the barn.
farmer green laughed when he saw grunty pig.
"he looks as if he had been enjoying himself," he remarked as he dropped grunty into the pen with the rest of mrs. pig's children.
"are you going to feed him?" johnnie green inquired.
again his father laughed.
"no!" he replied. "that pig has stuffed himself so full he can scarcely waddle."
as for mrs. pig, she didn't know whether to laugh or to weep. she was glad to have grunty safe at home again; but he was a sad sight.
at first mrs. pig thought farmer green had made a mistake. she thought he had found somebody else's child. for grunty was so daubed with black mud that she actually didn't know him until she heard him grunt. "where have you been?" she asked him in her sternest voice.
"i've been out in the world," he answered. "and i've had a fine time."
"it's easy to see," said mrs. pig, "that you're a born wallower. it's a pity that you haven't your brother blackie's complexion. the dirt does show so dreadfully on silver bristles!"
