Horse, donkey, and cows were all safe round their hut; but he could
find only three of the young pigs and the old sow at the farmyard,
and it plainly was not safe to leave them there, though how to pen
them up in their new quarters he did not know.
The sheep were out on the moor, and only one of them seemed to be
missing. The goat and the geese had likewise taken care of
themselves and seemed glad to see him. He drove them down to their
new home, and fed them there with some of the injured meal. "But
what can we do with the pigs? There's no place they can't get out of
but this," said Stead, looking doubtfully.
"Do you think I would have pigs in here? No, I am not come to that!"
It ended in Stead's going to consult Master Blane, who advised that
the younger pigs should be either sold, or killed and salted, and
nothing left but the sow, who was a cunning old animal, and could
pretty well take care of herself, besides that she was so tough and
lean that one must be very hungry indeed to be greatly tempted by her
bristles,
But how sell the pigs or buy the salt in such days as these? There
was, indeed, no firing.
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