“Well, yes, I guess so,” answered the farmer.  “He has run away out of the pen a couple of times, but if you board up a place good and tight, I guess he won’t get out.”

“Oh, I do hope he’ll be good!” exclaimed the boy.  “I do so want a little pet pig, and I’ll be so kind to him!”

When Squinty heard that, he made up his mind, if the boy took him, that he would be as good as he knew how.

“When can I have my little pig?” asked the boy, of his father.

“Oh, as soon as Mr. Jones can put him in a box, so we can carry him,” was the answer.  “We can’t very well take him in our arms; he would slip out and run away.”

“I guess so, too,” laughed the boy.

CHAPTER VI

SQUINTY ON A JOURNEY

“Mamma, did you hear what they were saying about Squinty?” asked Wuff-Wuff, as the boy and the two men walked away from the pig pen.

“Oh, yes, I heard,” said Mrs. Pig.  “I shall be sorry to lose Squinty, but then we pigs have to go out and take our places in this world.  We cannot always stay at home in the pen.”

“Yes, that is so,” spoke Mr. Pig.  “But Squinty is rather young and small to start out.  However, it may all be for the best.  Now, Squinty, you had better keep yourself nice and clean, so as to be ready to go on a journey.”

“What’s a journey?” asked the comical little pig, squinting his eye up at the papa pig.

“A journey is going away from home,” answered Mr. Pig.

“And does it mean having adventures?” asked Squinty, flopping his ears backward and forward.

“Yes, you may have some adventures,” replied his mother.  “Oh dear, Squinty!  I wish you didn’t have to go and leave us.  But still, it may be all for your good.”

“We might hide him under the straw,” suggested Wuff-Wuff.  “Then that boy could not find him when he comes to put him in a box, and take him away.”

“No, that would never do,” said Mr. Pig.  “The farmer is stronger and smarter than we are.  He would find Squinty, no matter where we hid him.  It is better to let him do as he pleases, and take Squinty away, though we shall all miss him.”

“Oh dear!” cried Curly Tail, for she liked her little brother very much, and she loved to see him look at her with his funny, squinting eye.  “Do you want to go, Squinty?”

“Well, I don’t want to leave you all,” answered the comical little pig, “but I shall be glad to go on a journey, and have adventures.  I hope I don’t get lost again, though.”

“I guess the boy won’t let you get lost,” spoke Mr. Pig.  “He looks as though he would be kind and good to you.”

The pig family did not know when Squinty would be taken away from them, and all they could do was to wait.  While they were doing this they ate and slept as they always did.  Squinty, several times, looked at the hole under the pen, by which he had once gotten out.  He felt sure he could again push his way through, and run away.  But he did not do it.