“Just look at this construction!” cried Julie. “She’s used stones, logs and everything in the walls.”
“And the growing trees were used for corner-posts of the house,” added Mrs. Vernon, examining the odd structure.
Mr. Gilroy rapped politely on the door, but no one replied. Again he rapped louder, and a shrill bark sounded from a distance back in the woods.
“I guess she’s out in her garden,” said Mr. Gilroy.
“I heard a funny grunt from the little shed at the back of this room,” whispered Julie.
“Let’s go around the corner of the cabin and see if she is back there,” suggested Mrs. Vernon.
So they followed Mr. Gilroy, and all had to laugh when they found the grunt came from a sow with a litter of little pigs. She was queen of the shed that leaned against the cabin, so the scouts watched her with interest for a time, then turned to follow after Mr. Gilroy and the Captain.
But the sow grunted excitedly when the little ones ran after the visitors. They thought there would be something to eat, and having never seen strangers before they knew no fear of them. The angry grunting of the old mother hog made the dog bark again from the woodland, and soon after a bent-over form could be seen coming from the woods.
A hound bounded before her, barking shrilly at the trespassers, until the old woman shouted: “Be quiet, Bill!”
Instantly the dog dropped behind his mistress, and Mr. Gilroy lifted his hat as he greeted the aged dame.