Page:The red book of animal stories.djvu/349

 pletely vanquished, some pikes had been bent and broken in the combat, and one dog had paid for his valour with his life. The other hunters had a large sow to show as their spoil, which they had succeeded in slaying without any mishap to themselves.

When all had reassembled on the scene Fräulein Anna's eye fell upon Vomhammel, who lay all huddled up on the sledge. When she saw the gaping rent in the boot, she exclaimed: 'See, Herr Vomhammel is terribly wounded!'

Everybody ran to look, but found after all that the boar's tusks had torn nothing but cloth and shoe-leather.

'God be thanked,' exclaimed Anna, 'that it is no worse! '

Vomhammel had the satisfaction of being for some time after that the hero of the day, and his beloved Anna has never again twitted him with lack of courage.