Up,up,andupsomemorewentSquinty,thecomicalpig. Atfirstthefastmotionintheballoonmadehimalittledizzy,justasitmightmakeyoufeelqueerthefirsttimeyouwentonamerry-go-’round. “Uff!Uff!”gruntedSquinty.Hewassosurprisedatthissuddenadventurethat,really,hedidnotknowwhattosay. “Iwonderifhe’safraid?”saidoneofthemen. “Heactsso,”theotheranswered.“Buthe’llgetusedtoit.Howhighupareyougoing?” Squintycuddleddowninthebasketoftheballoon,betweentwobagsfullofsomething,andshivered. “Mygoodnessme!”thoughtpoorSquinty.“Amileupintheair!That’sawfullyhigh.” Heknewabouthowfaramilewasonland,foritwasaboutthedistancefromthefarmhouse,nearwherehispenusedtobe,tothevillagechurch.Hehadoftenheardthefarmermansayso. “Andifitwasamilefrommypentothechurch,andthatmileofroadwasstoodstraightupintheair,”thoughtSquinty,“itwouldbeaterriblelongwaytofall.IhopeIdon’tfall.” Anditdidnotseemasifhewould—atleastnotrightaway. Thebasketinwhichhewasridinglookedgoodandstrong. Squintyhadshuthiseyeswhenheheardthemenspeakaboutgoingamileupintheair,butnow,astheballoonseemedtohavestoppedrising,thelittlepigopenedhiseyesagain,andpeeredallabouthim. “Look!”exclaimedoneofthemenwithalaugh.“Hasn’tthatpigthemostcomicalfaceyoueversaw?” “That’swhathehas,”answeredtheother.“HemakesmewanttolaugheverytimeIlookathim,withthatfunnyhalf-shuteyeofhis.” “Well,”thoughtSquinty,“I’mgladsomebodyishappyandjolly,andwantstolaugh,forI’msureIdon’t.IwishIhadn’trunawayfromtheniceboywhotaughtmethetricks.” Then,asSquintyrememberedhowhehadbeentaughttostanduponhishindlegs,hethoughthewoulddothattricknow. Hewashungry,andheimagined,perhaps,ifhedidthattrick,themenwouldgivehimsomethingtoeat. “Lookatthelittlechap!”criedoneofthemen.“He’sshowingoffallright.” “Yes,he’sasmartpig,”saidtheother.“Hemustbeatrickpig,andIguesswhoeverownshimwillbesorryheislost.” “Hu!I’msorrymyself!”thoughtSquintytohimself,ashewalkedaroundonhishindlegs. “Iwonderifthesemenareevergoingtogivemeanythingtoeat,”hewenton.Helookedatthemfromhisqueer,squintingeye,butthemendidnotseemtoknowthatthelittlepigwashungry. Onandonsailedtheballoon,beingblownbythewindlikeasailboat. Squintydroppeddownonhisfourlegs,sincehefoundthatwalkingonhishindonesbroughthimnofood. Then,ashemadehiswayaboutthebasket,hesawsomemoreofthosequeerbagsfilledwithsomething. Therewereagreatmanyofthemintheballoon,andSquintythoughttheymusthavesomethinggoodinthem. Squintysquatteddownbesideone,and,withhisstrongteeth,hesoonhadbittenaholeinthecloth.Thenhetookabigbite,butohdear! Allatoncehefoundhismouthfilledwithcoarsesand,thatgrittedonhisteeth,andmadethecoldshiversrundownhisback. “Oh,wow!”thoughtpoorSquinty.“That’snogood!Sand!Iwonderifthosemeneatsand?” Ofcoursetheydidn’t.Thesandinthebagswas“ballast.” Theballoonmencarrieditwiththem,andwhentheyfoundtheballooncomingdown,becausesomeofthegashadleakedoutoftheroundballabovethebasket,theywouldletsomeofthesandrunoutofthebagstothegroundbelow. Thiswouldmaketheballoonlighter,anditwouldriseagain. “Squee!Squee!Uff!Uff!”gruntedSquinty,ashewipedthesandoffhistongueononeofhislegs.“Idon’tlikethat.I’mhungry.” “Why,what’sthematterwiththelittlepig?”askedoneofthemen,turningaroundandlookingatSquinty. “Hemustbehungry,”saidtheother.“See,hehasbittenaholeinoneofoursandbags.Let’sfeedhim.” “Allright.Givehimsomethingtoeat,butwedidn’tbringanypigfoodalongwithus.” “I’llgivehimsomebreadandmilk,”theothermansaid.“Wewon’twantmuchmoreourselves,forwearenearlyatourlastlandingplace.” “Squee!Squee!”squealedSquinty,whenheheardthis. Hewatchedthemanputsomebreadandmilkinatinpan,andsetitdownonthefloorofthebasket. ThenSquintyputhisnoseinthedishandbegantoeat. AndOh!howgoodittasted!Ofcoursethemilkwassweet,insteadofsour,formendonotusuallylikesourmilk.Squintyhadagoodmeal,andthenhewenttosleep. WhathappenedwhileSquintyslept,thelittlepigdidnotknow. Butwhenhewokeupitwasalldark,andheknewitmustbenight,sohewenttosleepagain. Andthenexttimeheawakenedthesunwasshining,sohefeltsureitwasmorning. Andthen,allofasudden,somethinghappened.Oneofthemencalledout: “Thereisagoodplacetoland!” “Yes,we’llgodownthere,”agreedtheother.Thenhepulledastring. Squintydidnotknowwhatitwasfor,butI’lltellyou. Itwastoopenaholeintheballoonsothegaswouldrushout.Thentheballoonwouldbegintofall. Andthatiswhathappened.Down,downwenttheballoon. Itwentveryfast,andSquintyfeltdizzy. Fasterandfasterfelltheballoon,until,atlastitgavesuchabumpdownonthegroundthatSquintywasbouncedrightoverthesideofthebasket. Rightoutofthebasketthecomicallittlepigwasbounced,buthecamedowninasoftbedofleaves,sohewasnothurtintheleast. Helandedonhisfeet,justlikeacat,andgavealoudsqueal,hewassosurprised. AndthenSquintyranaway.Almostanybodywouldhaverun,too,Iguess,afterfallingdowninaballoon,andbeingbouncedoutthatway.Squintyhadhadenoughofballoonriding. “Idon’tknowwhereI’mgoing,norwhatwillhappentomenow,”thoughtSquinty,“butIamgoingtorunandhide.” Andrunhedid.Hefoundhimselfinthewoods;justthesamekindofwoodsaswherehehadfirstmetthetwoballoonmen,only,ofcourse,itwasmuchfartheroff,forhehadtraveledalongwaythroughtheair. OnandonranSquinty.Allatonce,inatreeoverhishead,heheardafunnychatteringnoise. “Chipper,chipper,chipper!Chat!Chat!Whir-r-r-r-r-!”wentthenoise. Squintylookedupinthetree,andtherehesawalovelylittlegirlsquirrel,friskingaboutonthebranches.ThenSquintywasnolongerafraid. Outoftheleaveshejumped,givingasquealandagruntwhichmeant: “Oh,howdoyoudo?Iamgladtoseeyou.MynameisSquinty.Whatisyourname?” “MynameisSlicko,”answeredthelivelylittlegirlsquirrel,asshejumpedabout.“Comeonandplay!” Squintyfeltveryhappythen. 
