Billy Whiskers | Page 9

as we get to shore I am going
to run them into a big tree and upset them. This harness is so rotten that
it will break at the least strain that is put on it, and when the cart goes
over we will both give a big pull which will break it loose from the cart,
and then we must run and hide in those thick bushes I see ahead, where
the boys can't find us."
"Oh, Billy, I am afraid," said Nanny. "They will surely find us and
whip us and shut us up without any supper."
"You're a coward, Nanny. Do what I tell you and I'll take care of you.
The boys will never find us if we once get loose and I'll show you
where there is the best supper you ever tasted."
And once again Nanny fell in with his plans and both goats began to
swim for shore pulling the cart with the two boys still in it, scolding
like magpies.
Once on shore, Billy turned to the left, instead of the right which was
the way home, and made for a tree that was just the right size to catch
the hub of the wheel and overturn the cart in great shape.

[Illustration]
The boy commenced to switch the goats for the ducking they had given
them, and of course, thought the whipping the cause of their rapid
progress; but could they have read Billy's mind they would have seen
their mistake, for Billy knew the harder and faster he hit the tree the
more sure he was of smashing things and getting free.
Smash, bang, roll and tumble! the cart has hit the tree and two boys are
rolling over each other in the dust, while two goats go scampering off
into the thick bushes that line the road.
Mike recovered himself first and started in hot pursuit of the runaways
while Tim sat still on a stone and rubbed his head and nose which was
bleeding profusely.
"Hurry, Nanny, hurry," Billy called as he disappeared from sight down
a deep ravine. Poor Nanny was so frightened at what she had done, she
could not hurry or begin to keep up with Billy, who made great leaps
from rock to rock; so she ran under a thorn-apple tree and trusted to its
low drooping branches to hide her.
But Mike was too close on her heels. He saw the moving of the
branches and knew one of the goats was hiding there. She made a futile
attempt to escape but the thorns ran into her so that she gave up and
meekly let herself be led back to the cart.
"I have one of them," Mike called out as soon as he came in sight of
Tim.
"Which one?" said Tim.
"Nanny," said Mike.
"I'll bet ye it wasn't that old one; he's a foxy old customer, he is, and I'll
bet me red shirt ye'll never set your eyes on him again. Devil take me if
I care if ye don't after the wetting and bloody nose he's given me," said
Tim.

"You hold Nanny, while I go look for Billy, Tim."
"All right and joy and good luck go with ye, but mark me words ye
never will find him when you're looking for him. Better come home
with me, and if he ever comes back he'll come back to-night to see
Nanny of his own accord," said Tim. "I know the ways of goats better
than ye do."
But Mike did not take Tim's advice. He went to look for Billy but in
about an hour and a half he wished he hadn't, for he saw no signs of the
runaway, and came back tired and foot-sore just in time to see Tim and
Nanny disappearing over the hill on the way home.
[Illustration]

Billy's Adventures in Town
Billy hid behind some rocks in the bottom of a ravine until he thought
the boys had given up looking for him. Then he came out of his
hiding-place, and snipped off the fresh young leaves from the bushes as
he walked along making up his mind what he would do next.
"It is too bad," he thought, "that Nanny is such a scare-cat and slow
runner for if she had only kept up with me she would be free now and
we could have a good time here. There are lots of young shoots and
juicy leaves for us to eat and plenty of water in the creek to drink.
"Now I must go back and see what has become of her. I expect I will be
caught and pounded by the boys, but I told her I would take care of her
and as I never break my word,