“Squinty,Idon’tbelievewe’regoingtofindanycocoanuttreesinthiswoods,”saidMappo,themonkey,afterheandthelittlepighadwanderedonforsometime. “Itdoesn’tseemso,doesit?”spokeSquinty,lookingallaround,firstwithhiswide-openeye,andthenwithhisqueer,droopyone. Themonkeyranalong,nowontheground,andnowandthenswinginghimselfupinthebranchesoftrees,byhislonglegs,eachoneofwhichhadasortofhandontheend. Sometimeshehungbyhistail,formonkeysaremadetodothat. “My,IwishIcouldgetupinthetreesthewayyoudo,”saidSquinty.“DoyouthinkIcouldhangbymytail,Mappo?” “Idon’tknow,”answeredthemonkey,scratchinghishead.“Yourtailhasanicelittlecurlinit,almostlikemine.Didyouevertrytohangbyyourtail?” “Well,youdon’tknowwhatyoucandountilyoutry,”saidMappo. Thetwoanimalfriendssooncametowheresomeoftheacornnutshadfallenoffatree,andtheyateasmanyastheywanted. Mapposaidtheywerenotasgoodascocoanuts,buthelikedthemprettywell,becausehewashungry. AndSquintythoughtacornswerejustthebestthingshehadevertasted,exceptapples,andpotatoesorperhapssourmilk. Bythistimeitwasgettingdark,andSquintysaid: “Ohdear,Iwonderwherewecansleeptonight?” “Oh,donotletthatworryyou,”saidMappo.“Iamusedtolivinginthewoods. WhenIwaslittle,beforeIwascaughtandputinthecircus,Ilivedinthewoodsallthewhile. See,hereisanicehollowstump,filledwithleaves,foryoutosleepin,andIwillclimbatree,andsleepinthat.” “Couldn’tyousleepdowninthestumpwithme?”askedSquinty.“It’ssortoflonesome,allbyyourselfinthedark.” “Yes,I’llsleepwithyou,”saidMappo.“Nowwe’llmakeupanicebed.” But,justastheywerepilingsomemoreleavesinthehollowstump,theyheardmanyvoicesofmenshoutinginthewoods. “Hereheis!Hereisthatrunawaymonkey!Iseehim!Comeandcatchhim!”criedthemen. “Oh,they’refromthecircus!They’reafterme!”criedMappo.“Imustrunandhide.Good-by,Squinty.I’llseeyouagainsometime,maybe.Youhadbetterrun,also,orthecircusmenmaycatchyou.” Squintylookedthroughthetrees,andsawanumberofmencomingtowardhimandthemonkey.ThenMappoclimbedupinatalltree,andSquintyranawayasfastashislittleshortlegswouldtakehim. “Nevermindthepig!Getthemonkey!”Squintyheardonemancry,andthenthecomicallittlepigdodgedunderabush,andkeptonrunning. WhenSquintystoppedrunningitwasquitedark.Hecouldhardlysee,andhehadrunintoseveraltrees,andbumpedhisnoseanumberoftimes.Ithurthimverymuch. “Well,IguessI’mlostagain,”thoughtSquinty.“AndIamallalone. Oh,whatalotofthingshashappenedtomesinceIwasinthepenwithmymammaandpapaandsistersandbrothers!IwishIwerebackwiththemagain.” Squintyfeltverysadandlonesome.HewonderedifthecircusmenhadcaughtMappo.Thenhefeltthathehadbetterfindaplacewherehecouldcoverhimselfupwiththedryleaves,andgotosleep. Hewalkedaboutinthedarkuntil,allofasudden,hestumbledintoaholethatwasfilledwithdriedgrass. “IguessIhadbetterstayhere,”thoughtSquinty.Sohepulledsomeofthegrassoverhim,andwenttosleep. Whenheawokethesunwasshining. “Imustgetmybreakfast,”thoughtSquinty. Hehuntedaboutuntilhehadfoundsomeacorns,andthen,comingtoalittlebrookofwaterhetookalongdrink. SomethingaboutthebrookmadeSquintylookatitcarefully. “Why—why!”heexclaimedtohimself:“ItseemstomeIhavebeenherebefore!Yes,IamsureIhave. ThisistheplacewhereIfirstcametogetadrink,whenfirstIranaway. ItisnearthepenwhereIusedtolive!Oh,IwonderifIcanfindthat?” TheheartofSquintywasbeatingfastashelookedaroundatthesceneshehadseenwhenhewasaverylittlepig,someweeksbefore.Yes,itwasthesamebrook.Hewassureofit. Andtherewasthegardenofpotatoes,andthecornfieldwherehehadfirstlosthisway. Offintherowsofcornheheardadogbarking.Somehowheknewthatdog’sbark. “IfthatcouldbeDon!”thoughtSquinty,hopefully. Thebarkingsoundednearer.Squintyturnedaround,standingontheedgeofthelittlebrook,andwaited,hisheartbeatingfasterandfaster. Allatoncetherecamerunningthroughthepotatofieldablackandwhitedog.Squintyknewhimatonce. “Bowwow!Bowwow!”barkedDon. “Well,ifthereisn’tthatcomicallittlepig,Squinty!Whereintheworlddidyoucomefrom? You’vebeenrunningaway,I’llbebound! NowI’mgoingtotakeyoubacktothepen!” “Oh,Don!Iamsogladtoseeyou!”squealedSquinty.“I—Ididrunaway,butIneverwillanymore.Iamlost.Oh,Don,don’ttakemebytheear.I’llgowithyou.” “Allright,”barkedDon,kindly.“Comealong. Yourpenisn’tfaroff,”andheranalongbesidethelittlepig,who,aftermanyadventureshadwanderedbackhome. SquintyandDoncametotheedgeofthepotatofield. “Well,Inever!”exclaimedthefarmerman,whowastherehoeingthepotatoes.“Ifthereisn’tthatcomicallittlepigIsoldtothatboyBob.Iwonderwherehecamefrom?” “Bowwow!Bowwow!Ifoundhim,”barkedDon,butofcoursethefarmerdidnotunderstand. “Well,I’llputyoubackinthepenagainuntilthatboysendsforyou,”saidthefarmer,asheliftedSquintyoverintothepenwherehismammaandpapaandbrothersandsisterswere. “Why—why,it’sSquinty!”criedMrs.Pig. “He’scomeback!”gruntedMr.Pig. “Oh,I’msoglad!”saidWuff-Wuff. “AndsoamI,”addedTwistyTail,assherubbedhernoseagainstSquinty’s.“Wherehaveyoubeen,andwhathappenedtoyou?”sheaskedherbrother. “Oh,manythings,”hesaid.“Ihavelearnedsometricks,Ihavebeenupinaballoon,ImetSlickothejumpingsquirrel,Mappo,themerrymonkey,andIsawTum-Tum,thejollycircuselephant.NowIamhomeagain.” “Andwhichdidyoulikebestofall?”askedMrs.Pig,whentheyhadfinishedaskinghimquestions. “Gettingbackhome,”answeredSquinty,ashetookabigdrinkofsourmilk. AndthatisthestoryofSquinty,thecomicalpig. Thefarmersentwordtotheboythathispetwasbackinthepen,buttheboysaidhethoughthedidnotwantapetpiganymore,soSquinty,forthetimebeing,stayedwithhisfamily. 
