But for the maids, busy indoors, the Place was deserted of human or canine life.
Thus, luck was with the two intruders.
Through the fence-gap in the oak-grove, bored Titus Romaine's hugest and oldest and crankiest sow.

She was in search of acorns and of any other food that might lie handy to her line of march.

In her owner's part of the grove, there was too much competition, in the food-hunt, from other and equally greedy pigs of the herd.

These she could fight off and drive from the choicest acorn-hoards.

But it was easier to forage without competition.
So through the gap she forced her grunting bulk; and on through the Place's half of the oak-grove.