“What she needs is lessons in natural history, James. The other day she mistook a cow for a bear, and the only animals she seems to know are horses and dogs and cats.”
“I guess I’ll go get that pig,” said James. We could hear the little animal squealing. It was running madly around in the lower lot.
“I’ll help you, James.”
Afterwards I was sorry I had said I would help James. I had never chased a pig before, and I did not know they could cover ground so quickly or so unexpectedly. Twice I was bowled over in my efforts to grab the slippery beast, and by the time that he was caught I was winded and perspiring.
“I’ll take it into the kitchen and show it to Minerva and tell her how it happened,” said James.
“Yes, do,” said I. “The only way to get her broken to pigs is to show her that they do not intend any harm.”
We went into the kitchen and found her laughing hysterically, while Ethel was picking up pieces of crockery that decorated the floor. It seems that the lunch dishes were piled up preparatory to washing them and piggy had run against the leg of the table and dislodged them with destructive effect.
James entered the kitchen, holding the pig clasped to his ample chest.
“There, Minerva, you see the animal is perfectly harmless.”
“My, my, I never did see such a mouth,” said she.