Squinty,thecomicalpig,triedtolookoutthroughtheslatsofthebox,inwhichhewasbeingtakenaway,toseeinwhichdirectionhewasgoing. Healsowantedtowatchthedifferentsightsalongtheroad. Butthesidesofthefarmwagonweresohighthatthelittlepigcouldseenothing. Hestretchedhisfatneckasfarasitwouldgo,butthatdidnogoodeither. Squintywishedhewereasbigashispapaorhismamma. “ThenIcouldseewhatisgoingon,”hethought. Butjustwishingnevermadeanyonelargerortaller,notevenapig,andSquintystayedthesamesize. Hecouldhearthefarmerandthechildrentalking.NowandthentheboywhohadboughtSquinty,andwhowastakinghimhome,wouldlookaroundathispetintheslattedbox. “Isheallright?”oneofthegirlswouldask. “Heseemstobe,”theboywouldsay.“IamgladIgothim.” “Well,heactsrealcute,”saidanothergirl,whowascalledSallie,“butIneverheardofhavingapigforapetbefore.” “YoujustwaituntilIteachhimsometricks,”saidtheboy,whosenamewasBob.“Thenyou’llthinkhe’sfine!” “Ha!SoIamtolearntricks,”thoughtSquintyinhisbox.“Iwonderwhattricksare,anyhow?DoesitmeanIamtohavegoodthingstoeat?Ihopeso.” YouseeSquinty,likemostlittlepigs,thoughtmoreofsomethingtoeatthanofanythingelse.Butwemustnotblamehimforthat,sincehecouldnothelpit. Prettysoonthewagonrattledoversomestones,andthencametoastop. “Hereweare!”calledthechildren’sfather.“Bringalongyourlittlepig,Bob.Herecomesthetrain.” “Ha!ItseemsIamtogoonatrain,”thoughtSquinty.“Iwonderwhatatrainis?” Squintyhadmanythingstolearn,didn’the? Thelittlepigintheboxfelthimselfbeingliftedoutofthewagon.Thenhecouldlookabouthim. Hesawalargebuilding,infrontofwhichwerelong,slenderstripsofshiningsteel. Theseweretherailroadtracks,butSquintydidnotknowthat. Thenallatonce,Squintyheardaloudnoise,whichwentlikethis: “Ohmy!whataloudsquealthatpighas!”exclaimedSquinty.“HecansquealmuchlouderthanIcan,Ithink.Letmetry.” Andthenthebignoisesoundedagain,louderthanbefore: “Ohmy!”saidSquintytohimself,snugglingdowninthestrawofhisbox.“Inevercansquealasloudasthat.Never!” Helookedoutandsawabigblackthingrushingtowardhim,withsmokecomingoutofthetop,andthenthebigblackthingcriedoutagain: “Oh,whataterrible,bigblackpig!”thoughtSquinty.Andhewasabitfrightened.Butitwasnotabigblackpigatall. Itwasonlytheenginedrawingthetrainofcarsuptothestationtotakethepassengersaway.AnditwasgoingtotakeSquinty,also. Squintythoughttheenginewhistlewasapig’ssqueal,butitwasn’t,ofcourse. Prettysoonthetrainstopped.Thepassengersmadearushtogetinthecars. Bob,theboy,caughtupthehandleofSquinty’sbox,and,aftersomebumpingandtiltingsideways,thelittlepigfoundhimselfsetdowninaratherdarkplace,fortheboyhadputtheboxonthefloorofthecarbyhisseat,nearhisfeet. AndthereSquintyrode,seeingnothing,buthearingmanystrangenoises,until,aftermanystops,hewasliftedupagain. “Hereweare!”thelittlepigheardthechildren’spapasay.“Haveyoueverything?Don’tforgetyourpig,Bob.” “Iwon’t,”answeredtheboy,withajollylaugh. “Well,Iwonderwhatwillhappennext?”thoughtSquinty,ashefelthimselfbeingcarriedalongagain.Hecouldseenothingbutacrowdofpersonsallabouttheboywhocarriedthebox. “Idon’tknowwhetherIamgoingtolikethisornot—thiscomingtoliveintown,”thoughtthelittlepig.“Still,Icannothelpmyself,Isuppose.ButIdowishIhadsomethingtoeat.” IguesstheboymusthaveknownSquintywashungry,for,whenhenextsetdownthebox,thistimeinacarriage,theboygavethelittlepigawholeappletoeat.AndhowgooditdidtastetoSquinty! “Areyougoingtomakeapenforhim?”askedoneoftheboy’ssisters,asthecarriagedroveoff. “Yes,assoonaswegettothehouse,”saidtheboy. BythistimeSquintywasthirsty.Therewasnowaterinhiscage,but,alittlelater,whenhesawthroughtheslats,thathewasbeingcarriedtowardalarge,whitehouse,hewasgivenatinofwatertodrink. “I’lljustleavehiminthatboxuntilIcanfixalargeroneforhim,”theboysaid,andthen,forawhile,Squintywasleftalltohimself. Buthewasstillinthebox,thoughtheboxwassetinashadyplaceonthebackporch. AllthiswhileMr.PigandMrs.Pig,aswellasthebrotherandsisterpigs,inthepenathome,werewonderingwhathadhappenedtoSquinty. “Wheredoyouthinkheisnow,Mamma?”Wuff-Wuffwouldask. “Oh,Idon’tknow,”Mrs.Piganswered. “Andwillheevercomebacktous?”askedTwistyTail. “Perhaps,someday.Ihopeso,”saidMrs.Pig,sortofsighing. “Oh,yes,Ithinkhewill,”saidMr.Pig.“Whenhegetsquitelargetheboywillgettiredofhavinghimforapet,andperhapsbringhimback.” “Wereyouevercarriedoffthatway,Papa?”askedGrunter,asherubbedhisback,whereamosquitohadbittenhim,againstthesideofthepen. “Oh,yes,once,”answeredMr.Pig.“Iwastakenawayfrommypen,whenIwasprettylarge,andgiventoalittlegirlforapet.Butshedidnotkeepmelong. Iguessshewouldratherhavehadherdolls,soIwassoonbroughtbacktomypen.AndIwasgladofit.” “Well,IhopetheywillsoonbringSquintyback,”Wuff-Wuffsaid.“Itislonesomewithouthim.” But,afterawhile,theotherpigsfoundsomanythingstodo,andtheywerekeptsobusy,eatingsourmilk,andgettingfat,thattheynearlyforgotaboutSquinty. But,allthistime,somethingwashappeningtothecomicallittlepig. TowardeveningofthefirstdaythatSquintyhadbeenputinthenewlittlecage,theboy,whohadnotbeennearhiminsometime,camebacktolookathispet. “NowIhavealargerplaceforyou,”theboysaid,speakingjustasthoughSquintycouldunderstandhim. And,infact,Squintydidknowmuchofwhatwassaidtohim,thoughhecouldnottalkbackinboylanguage,beingabletospeakonlyhisownpigtalk. “AndIguessyouarehungry,too,andwantsomethingtoeat,”theboywenton.“Iwillfeedyou!” “Squee!Squee!Squee!”squealedSquinty.Iftherewasonewordinman-talkthatheunderstoodverywell,itwas“feed.”Hehadoftenheardthefarmersay: “Well,nowImustfeedthepigs.” Andrightafterthat,somenicesourmilkwouldcomesplashingdownintothetroughofthepen.SowhenSquintyheardtheword“feed”again,heguessedwhatwasgoingtohappen. TheboypickedSquintyup,boxandall,andcarriedhimtothebackyard. “NowI’llgiveyoumoreroomtorunabout,andthenI’llhaveanicesupperforyou,”theboysaid,talkingtohislittlepigjustasyouwouldtoyourdog,orkitty. WithahammertheboyknockedoffsomeoftheslatsofthesmallboxinwhichSquintyhadmadehisjourney. Thentheboyliftedoutthecomicallittlepig,andSquintyfoundhimselfinsidealargebox,verymuchlikethepenathome. Ithadcleanstrawinit,andalittletrough,justliketheoneathis“home,”wherehecouldeat. Buttherewasnothinginthetroughtoeat,asyet,andtheboxseemedquitelonesome,forSquintywasallalone. “Hereyouarenow!Somenicesourmilk,andboiledpotatoes!”criedtheboy,andthenSquintysmelledthemostdelicioussmell—tohimatleast.Downintothetroughcamethesourmilkandpotatoes. “Squee!Squee!”yelledSquintyindelight.Andhowfastheate!Thatwasbecausehewashungry,yousee,butpigsnearlyalwayseatfast,asthoughtheywerecontinuallyinahurry. “Oh,isn’titcute!”exclaimedavoiceoverSquinty’shead.Helookedup,halfshuttinghisonefunnyeye,andcockingoneearup,andlettingtheotherdroopdown.Buthedidnotstopeating. “Oh,isn’thefunny!”criedanothervoice.AndSquintysawtheboyandhissisterslookingathim. “Yes,hesurelyisanicepig,”theboysaid,“Inafewdays,whenhegetsoverbeingstrange,I’mgoingtoteachhimsometricks.” “Ha!There’sthatwordtricksagain!”thoughtSquinty.“Iwonderwhattricksare?ButIshallverysoonfindout.” ForafewdaysSquintywasratherlonesomeinhisnewpen,allbyhimself. Hemissedhispapaandmammaandbrothersandsisters. ButtheboycametoseeSquintyeveryday,bringinghimnicethingstoeat,and,afterabit,Squintycametolookforhisnewfriend. “Iguessyouaregettingtoknowme,aren’tyou,oldfellow?”theboysaidoneday,afterfeedingSquinty,andhescratchedthelittlepigonthebackwithastick. “Uff!Uff!”gruntedSquinty.That,Isuppose,washiswayofsaying: “OfcourseIknowyou,andIlikeyou,boy.” Oneday,aboutaweekafterhehadcometohisnewhome,Squintyheardtheboysay: “NowIthinkyouaretameenoughtobeletout.Idon’tbelieveyouwillrunaway,willyou?But,anyhow,I’lltieastringtoyourleg,andthenyoucan’t.” Squintywishedhecouldspeakboylanguage,andtellhisfriendthathewouldnotrunawayaslongashewaskindlytreated,butofcourseSquintycouldnotdothis. Instead,hecouldonlygruntandsqueal. TheboytiedastringtoSquinty’sleg,andlethimoutofthepen. Thecomicallittlepigwasgladtohavemoreroominwhichtomoveabout. Hewalkedfirsttooneside,andthentheother,rootinginthedirtwithhisfunny,rubberynose.Theboylaughedtoseehim. “Iguessyouarelookingforsomethingtoeat,”theboysaid.“Well,let’sseeifyoucanfindtheseacorns.” Theboyhidthemunderapileofdirt,andwatched.Squintysmelledabout,andsniffed. Hecouldeasilytellwheretheacornshadbeenhidden,and,amomentlater,hehadrootedthemupandwaseatingthem. “Oh,youfunnylittlepig!”criedtheboy.“Youarerealsmart!Youknowhowtofindacorns.Thatisonetrick.” “Ha!Ifthatisatrick,itisaveryeasyone—justrootingupacorns,”thoughtSquintytohimself. Squintywalkedaround,asfarastheropetiedtohislegwouldlethim. Theotherendoftheropewasheldbytheboy. OncetheropegottangledaroundSquinty’sfoot,andhejumpedoverittogetfree.Theboysawhimandcried: “Oh,IwonderifIcouldteachyoutojumptherope?Thatwouldbeafinetrick.Letmesee.” Theboythoughtamoment,andthenliftedSquintyup,andsethimdownononesideoftherope,whichheraisedalittlewayfromtheground,justasgirlsdowhentheyareplayingaskippinggame. Ontheothersideoftheropetheboyputanapple. “Now,Squinty,”saidBob,“ifyouwantthatappleyoumustjumptheropetogetit.Comeon.” AtfirstSquintydidnotunderstandwhatwaswantedofhim. Hesawnothingbuttheapple,andthoughthowmuchhewantedit. Hestartedforit,but,beforehecouldgetittheboypulleduptheropeinfrontofhim.TheropestoppedSquinty. “Jumpovertheropeifyouwanttheapple,”saidtheboy. OfcourseSquintycouldnotexactlyunderstandthistalk. Hetriedoncemoretogettheapple,but,everytimehedid,hefoundtheropeinfrontofhim,intheway. “Well!”exclaimedSquintytohimself,“Iamgoingtogetthatapple,ropeornorope.IguessI’llhavetogetovertheropesomehow.” Sothenexttimehestartedforthejuicyapple,andtheropewaspulledupinfrontofhim,Squintygavealittlespring,andovertheropehewent,jumpingwithallfourlegs,comingdownontheotherside,likeacircusmanjumpingovertheelephant’sback. “Oh,fine!Good!”criedtheboy,clappinghishands.“Squintyhaslearnedtodoanothertrick!” “Uff!Uff!”gruntedSquinty,ashechewedtheapple.“Sothat’sanothertrick,isit?” 
