Billy and the monkeys might now have made their escape. They even spoke of it, but all were of the opinion that they were being treated too well at the time and the prospects of fun were too good to think of taking such a step just then. They agreed among themselves that they might consider the subject later on if things did not go to suit them.
Presently Mike began to collect his scattered senses. They laughed in the cage when they heard him grunting and groaning.
Just then he evidently touched Jim who was also coming to, for they heard them whispering together. It would seem that they were both thanking their lucky stars that they had escaped with their lives.
“We’ll have to give it up,” Mike was heard to say. “Those monkeys are sure holy terrors and they will never surrender the great goat. I know there’s big money in him, but he ain’t for us, Jim,” and Jim agreed.
Someone was calling to them to hurry up with the monkey cage and with more grunting and groaning they got to their feet and drove up the inclined plane onto the car. Soon they were rumbling along to the next place where the great show was to exhibit.
Billy Whiskers, in the cage with the monkeys, fell asleep wondering what the coming days could have in store for him.
CHAPTER XI
THE WRECK
BILLY WHISKERS was now fairly launched on his career in the big show that made him more famous than ever before. From the lordly way he ruled the monkeys he was soon everywhere known as “King Billy,” though he never liked that proud title as well as plain Billy Whiskers.
It was not long before the billboards were covered with life-size pictures of himself and his troupe. When he gazed for the first time in his life, but a short time since, at those wonderful show pictures at The Corners, he little dreamed that he would ever have such an honor. The Circus manager was quick to see what a drawing card Billy was and of course made the very most of it by advertising him far and wide.