Was it only the beat-beat-beat of blood?
"There were twelve pigs in that litter," Glenn was saying, "and now you see there are only nine.

I've lost three.

Mountain lions, bears, coyotes, wild cats are all likely to steal a pig.

And at first I was sure one of these varmints had been robbing me.

But as I could not find any tracks, I knew I had to lay the blame on something else.