Free Sword of Camelot by Gilbert L. Morris

It'll go in up to the hilt, all the way up to these side blades, and that's what will hold him there.”
    Reb examined the spear and swallowed hard. Boar hunting began to seem more difficult to him. “Well,” he said, “what happens then?”
    Loren patted his spear, “You either stop him, or he pushes you back and gets you. Usually there's no third alternative.”
    Reb felt the eyes of the others on him and wished he had not been quite so bold, but it was too late now. “All right,” he said, “I think I'm ready.”
    Loren began to deploy them. “Fan out,” he said. “We don't know exactly where he'll charge from. You ladies stay back with the king and queen.”
    The hunters spread out in a long line and began to watch the forest nervously.
    As Reb looked over his shoulder he saw that the king and queen, as well as the young ladies, were following rather closely. “Don't they need to stay back?” he asked Loren.
    The prince grinned broadly. “Not as long as a stout fellow like you is in front to keep the boar off them,” he jibed. Then he suddenly shouted, “Look! There he comes!”
    Reb turned toward the most enormous pig he had ever seen. It came tearing out of the woods, running at full speed, and its eyes were red with fury. It was only a few feet to Reb's left, so he began to move in that direction. “I've got him,” he yelled.
    â€œBe careful!” Loren shouted. “Don't let him get through!” But he had no sooner yelled than the pig shifted direction and chatted straight at one of the knights.
    The knight was slow, and, even as the group watched in horror, the pig struck him. The boar's head flew up, and he ripped the man's leg from ankle to thigh. The mans creamed. The pig next caught the man in the side. Then, apparently, he noticed the movement of the king and queen as they tried to retreat.
    â€œWatch out! He's going for the king!” Sir Gwin shouted. “Watch him! Get him!”
    Reb saw that Loren, who was on his right, and Dave,who was on his left, were too far away. The pig was going to pass very close to Reb himself.
    â€œGot to stop that sucker!” he mumbled. He stepped quickly into the pig's path. He could see the white froth on the boar's lips, and the yellowed tusks looked ten inches long. He vaguely heard people screaming, and someone cried, “Look, the king has fallen!”
    Whipping a glance behind him, Reb saw the king sprawled on the ground and the queen trying to help him to his feet. They'll never make it, Reb thought. It's up to me!
    It seemed as though time stopped, but he remembered one thing Loren had said. Put the butt of the spear in the dirt—let the boar run onto it.
    He dug the hilt into the hard ground with both hands held firmly, and then the mighty boar was upon him! Its red eyes flashed with rage. Its mouth was open so wide he could count the teeth. Its bristles stood out as though electrified. And then the boar struck the end of his spear.
    Though it took all his might, Reb held on. But the shock drove him backward, and the spear came loose from the earth. Now he had only his strength to hold off the pig. He felt like a pygmy as the boar roared toward him, snorting angrily.
    â€œGot to hold him,” Reb panted.
    Then the boar threw itself to one side, and the spear in Reb's hands twisted mightily, sprawling him in the dust. He held on, breathing a quick cry for help. O Goel, don't let that pig get at the king!
    It was a close thing. The spear had penetrated the boar's chest. He was wounded. But he still had plenty of fight left in him.
    Then, with a surge of strength Reb had not known he had, he got to his feet and wrenched the spear loose.
    He heard a cry of fear from the women and a shout ofwarning from Loren. “Don't let him off!” The prince's voice seemed far away, but Reb knew what he had to do.
    â€œGot to get him right in the throat.” He drew