Billy Gave One Leap which Carried Him ahead of the Dog.
“The scent of the flowers reminds me of the clover in the meadows. I must have a taste of them.” So Billy tasted and then ate one entire bouquet, for the flavor was so fine he could not stop at one bite. Then, beginning to feel the effects of his wearisome escapade with the boys, and lulled by the warmth, light, perfume, and music surrounding him, he jumped up in the middle of the beautiful bed, and stretched himself out on the exquisite pink satin and lace coverlet preparatory to enjoying a good rest. Nothing was too good for the use of Billy Jr.
When the first guests entered the room they scarcely glanced at the bed, going first to the mirror to adjust their hair and repowder their noses. Suddenly, one of the ladies dropped the comb with a clatter, her eyes nearly dropping from their sockets and her face blanched with surprise and fear, for, reflected in the mirror, she saw two long horns suddenly raised from what she had supposed to be a black fur coat, and, screaming at the top of her voice, she turned and stood staring with open-eyed wonder at the sight before her. Her screams brought the entire household scrambling to the scene. She could not explain but dropped into a chair, completely overcome. Words, however, were needless, for there stood Billy in the middle of the great four-poster, self-convicted, and quite as surprised as any of the onlookers. For a moment he did not know which way to turn, but finally, seeing a door opposite the one in which the people all stood, he jumped for that and from there made his escape into a small room which connected with the hall. Down the steps he went, upsetting the fat butler with whom he came in contact on his way down and, without pausing to offer his apologies, hastened into the street and hurriedly left the neighborhood.
The goat episode was the main topic of conversation that afternoon among the fair five hundred, and Billy would have been flattered could he have heard himself described as “fierce-looking as a lion and as large as a bear.”
After Billy Jr. left the house where the reception was being held, he wandered around not knowing where to go. He began to feel lonesome and hungry and almost wished he had stayed with the firemen and old One-horn, even if his life with them was a monotonous one.
Presently, all thought of lonesomeness and hunger was driven from his mind by the sight of some boys coming around the corner whipping a large St. Bernard dog that was hitched to a little cart. When they saw Billy, they cried:
“Oh, see the dandy goat. Let’s catch him and hitch him up to your cart, Ned, and have a race. What do you say, is it a go?”
“You had better let them catch you, stranger,” barked the dog, “or they will club and beat you when they do get you.”
“Not until I have given them a chase,” bleated the goat, and with that he stood as if he were going to be an easy catch, until they tried to put their hands on him. Then he stood on his hind legs and whirled round and round like a circus-goat, facing them all the time between the whirls, so the boys did not know how to get hold of him in this position, besides they were afraid he would butt or kick them.