“I’LL GIVE YOU THIS PONY, HARNESS AND WAGON IF
YOU’LL LET ME HAVE BILLY.”
By far the most touching good-bye was that of little Dick. He and Billy had been the greatest friends from the first. The big goat had drawn the red wagon with Dick aboard ever since the little chap was big enough to sit up. Never once had he run away with him or spilled him out. More than that, Billy Whiskers and Bob had saved Dick from drowning, as you remember, when he tumbled off the bank into the swimming hole down by the wood lot. So when Dick came to say farewell to Billy it seemed as though he could not let him go, and the manager was really afraid that Dick would back out of his bargain or, what was worse, that Billy Whiskers would refuse to stay behind his little master. But finally Mrs. Treat took matters in hand and soon effected a parting.
Tom, Dick and Harry climbed into the wagonette behind the beautiful chestnut pony, now Dick’s property, and drove away to the gun store where Mr. Treat promised to meet them and buy the new guns.
Billy Whiskers’ friends at Cloverleaf Farm were astonished that evening when the boys drove into the yard in their gay rig drawn by the beautiful pony. They looked in vain for Billy Whiskers.
“I’m going to see what this means at once,” said Abbie, the black cat, who, in spite of the fact that she had swelled her tail, hunched up her back and scolded when Billy had asked her about the Circus, was at heart very fond of him. She now displayed such gentle manners, purred so softly and asked questions in such a winning way that she soon had the whole story from the pony and lost no time in telling it.
The friends of Billy Whiskers held a meeting that same evening in which each one told of his very high esteem of him. Afterward resolutions of respect were unanimously passed by a standing vote.
They all acted as though they never expected to see Billy again. If this was their idea, they were never more mistaken in their lives.
CHAPTER X
THE KIDNAPPERS FOILED
