“Oh, Maggie, Maggie, don’t you know your own seester any more? How theen you haf got! Been seeck since I vent away from home, Maggie? Shpeek to me, Maggie. ’Tis your own lofing Barbara you see,” putting out her arms to welcome her in a warm embrace.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha!” laughed Billy uproariously. “It takes the Germans to get angry. Ha, ha! Look at her, she’s trying to hug her own image!”
CHAPTER VIII
BILLY HAS AN ENCOUNTER
SUCH a goosie as she is,” chuckled Billy in delight, “I shall not lose sight of—O-o-o-h!” his merriment changing to wonder, for there peeping from behind the skirts of the second woman was a handsome goat, whose coat was as white, whose horns were as long and well-shaped, whose very whiskers were as fine as Billy’s own.
There were very few occasions and small reason for Billy Whiskers to envy individuals of his kind, for, as you have often been told, he was a king among goats. He was finer looking, had a better carriage, was larger and stronger, he could leap farther and butt harder than ordinary goats, and so his proud position was not often questioned, even though he sometimes grew overbearing and a trifle too boastful of his prowess.
“O-o-oh!” he repeated, peeping out from the other side, only to find the other goat doing exactly the same thing. “He’s a fine animal, to be sure, and might prove a close rival. We’ll see how much backbone he has,” and Billy slowly advanced, stepping high and tossing his proud head from side to side the better to display his good points.
Goat Number Two likewise advanced, stepping just as high and lifting his head and tilting it provokingly to one side.
“Ah, ha! So he’s going to show me he’s a thoroughbred, is he? Perhaps it might be well for me to make his acquaintance and have him for my friend,” weakening a little. “He’s sure to be a power wherever he may live.”
Billy always did believe that it was a wise thing to make friends with those who occupied prominent positions. This policy put into effect had brought both adventure and many good berths to him, and so now it had become almost second nature to Billy to bind to him as close friends and allies all those he could not conquer.