Take Charlotte's Web and Where the Red Fern Grows, add a dash of Babe remove all the sentimentality and tear jerking and what you get is a boy who bargains his way to a hunting pig, gets into scrapes, gets fooled and connives. Mr. John Barrow becomes a bit of a drag on the story as the as both abettor and opponent, and Pinch is just a bit to aware to be so easily taken in. ( )