But the young swineherd was
big and strong, and the little fellow knew that he could do next to
nothing against such an enemy.
Then there was a pause. Robin stood, hot, excited, and panting;
the herd-boy threw himself down on his chest, rested his chin upon
his hands, as he stared fiercely at Robin, and kicked his feet up
and down; while the pigs roamed here and there, nuzzling the fallen
acorns out from the bracken, and crunching them up loudly.
Robin wanted to run, and he did not want to run, and all at the
same time, for his strongest desire just then was to fight his
tyrant; and for some minutes neither spoke.
At last the big boy said, in a low, growling way:
"Now then, are you going to give me them things?"
"No," said Robin, through his set teeth; and again there was
silence.
"You give 'em to me, and I'll show you the way to where they live
and they'll give you roast deer and roast pig p'raps, for two of
ourn's gone. Master says he counted 'em, and they aren't all
there, and he wales me with a strap because I let them take the
pigs, and next time he counts 'em there's more than there was
before, but he's whipped me all the same.
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