the muley cow was right. she had said to herself, with a smile, that grunty pig, the runaway, would be glad enough to go home when night came. he had decided to stay right there in the pasture for the rest of his life, where there was plenty to eat and plenty to do. he felt sure that he would have a much pleasanter time there than at home. for one thing, he knew well enough that there was a punishing waiting for him at the piggery—if he ever went back to get it.
not until johnnie green and old dog48 spot came to the pasture to drive the cows down the lane did grunty pig begin to feel the least twinge of homesickness. and even then he tried to forget it. he hid in a clump of brakes near the fence while johnnie green and spot were in the pasture, for he didn't want them to spy him and take him home with them.
there was a delicious, damp, woodsy smell in the cool shade of his hiding place.
"how much nicer this is than our stuffy pen!" grunty exclaimed under his breath.
now and then he peeped out to watch the procession of cows moving slowly towards the barn to be milked. and when the last one had entered the lane, hurrying to catch up with the rest—and to avoid spot's nips at her heels—grunty crept out into the open.
then, strange to say, he hurried towards the lane himself. all at once the pasture seemed a great, lonesome place. who knew when a bear might rise out of a clump of bushes near him?
he was careful not to follow too closely after the herd as they meandered down the lane. at the same time, he was careful not to fall too far behind. and he took many a quick backward glance, to make sure no bear was creeping up on him.
not far from the barn grunty left the lane and hurried toward the little yard outside the piggery, where he had run away from his mother and his brothers and his sisters.
when he reached the fence through which he had crept while mrs. pig was enjoying a nap, he met with a great surprise. the hole in the fence was no more! somebody had mended it. and there he was, outside the yard!
grunty pig squealed for his mother. but no one answered. the fence was too high for him to look over it. it was too tight for him to peep through.
"i want to get in!" grunty cried. "why doesn't somebody answer?"
the silence from the other side of the fence was dreadful. grunty pig would have been glad to have his mother scold him then, just for the comfort of hearing her voice.
"oh! oh!" he wailed. "what shall i do? whatever shall i do? farmer green must have put the family back in the pen. and i'll have to spend the night out here alone!"
