“Master Tim has taught us a lesson; he will not deceive us again.”
Shortly after this Tim awoke, and jumping up, ran to look after the swine. But on entering the kitchen, he perceived that she had been stolen a second time. Nothing now remained for him to do but to run and overtake the thieves, and discover some means of deceiving them again. He ran without any burden on his back, and besides, was all the fresher for having rested, consequently he had no difficulty in overtaking the tired thieves, who were carrying the swine between them. He went softly behind them till they came to the wood.
As soon as they had entered it one of the thieves said to his comrade:
“Let us rest awhile here.”
But the other replied:
“No, brother; if Tim overtakes us here, he will trick us again by some means or other.
But some way farther on you remember there is an empty cottage, near the road, there we can rest without danger.”
“Very good,” said his comrade, “we will stop there.”
Tim, hearing what they said, turned aside, and, getting before them, daubed his face with clay; then, running as fast as he could to the cottage, he sat down within the ruined petsch, holding in his hand a brick. He had not waited five minutes when they entered the cottage and cast the swine down upon the floor.
“Now, brother,” said one, “we have nearly finished the business, let us smoke a pipe of tobacco.”