Then we prepared a supply of provisions, for we intended to be absent at least a night or two, perhaps longer.

This took us some time to do, for while Jack was busy with the boat, Peterkin was sent into the woods to spear a hog or two, and had to search long, sometimes, ere he found them.
Peterkin was usually sent on this errand, when we wanted a pork chop (which was not seldom), because he was so active, and could run so wonderfully fast that he found no difficulty in overtaking the hogs; but, being dreadfully reckless, he almost invariably tumbled over stumps and stones in the course of his wild chase, and seldom returned home without having knocked the skin off his shins.

Once, indeed, a more serious accident happened to him.

He had been out all morning alone and did not return at the usual time to dinner.

We wondered at this, for Peterkin was always very punctual at the dinner hour.