Good heavens, what a huge creature she is!" Fierce, formidable, the great beast halted; three striped, partly grown pigs came rushing and frisking down the gully to join her, filling the forest with their clumsy clatter and baby squealing.

From the ridge the two deer, who had sneaked back, regarded the scene with terrified fascination.
Presently the yearling rushed them out again, then sidled down, venturing to the edge of the feeding-ground, where he began to crunch acorns again with a cautious eye on the sow and her noisy brood.
Here and there a brilliant blue-jay floated down, seized an acorn, and winged hastily to some near tree where presently he filled the woods with the noise he made in hammering the acorn into some cleft in the bark.
Gradually the sunlight on the leaves reddened; long, luminous shadows lengthened eastward.

Kathleen, lying at full length, her pretty face between her hands, suddenly sneezed.
The next moment the feeding-ground was deserted; only a distant crashing betrayed the line of flight where the great fierce sow and her young were rushing upward toward the rocks of the Gilded Dome.
"I'm so sorry," faltered Kathleen, very pink and embarrassed.
Geraldine sat up and laughed, laying the uncocked rifle across her knees.
"Some of these days I'm going to win my wager," she said to her brother.
"And it won't be with a striped yearling, either; it will be with the biggest, shaggiest, fiercest, tuskiest boar that ranges the Gilded Dome.
And that," she added, looking at Kathleen, "will give me something to think of and keep me rather busy, I believe." "Rather," observed her brother, getting up and helping Kathleen to her feet.

He added, to torment her: "Probably you'll get Duane to win your bet for you, Sis." "No," said the girl gravely; "whatever is to die I must slay all by myself, Scott--all alone, with no man's help." He nodded: "Sure thing; it's the only sporting way.

There's no stunt to it; only keep cool and keep shooting, and drop him before he comes to close quarters." "Yes," she said, looking up at Kathleen.
Her brother drew her to her feet.