Billy Whiskers, Jr.

by Frances Trego Montgomery

All this pleased the dog immensely and he laughed until his sides shook. Presently, Billy Jr. heard cart-wheels on the sidewalk and he knew Ned was returning with his cart. As the boy approached, Billy Jr. converted his hind legs, which he had been using as stilts, into kickers. Then with a bleat that meant “Oh, no you don’t,” he jumped over the low iron fence beside which he was standing and disappeared round the corner of a big brown-stone house that stood in the middle of a large yard, while, of course, all the boys came tagging after. Hero, the St. Bernard dog, forgetting the wagon he was hitched to, jumped too, breaking loose as he went over the fence.

As Billy rounded the corner of the house, he ran into the laundress, who was carrying in her arms a big basket of clothes piled so high that she could not see what hit her, until she found herself flat on the ground with her basket overturned beside her.

“Now, see what yees have done wid yer ugly black goat a-goin’ and upsetting all me clane clothes, and the missis that particular as never was. Bad luck to yez. Take him away,” she called, as she saw Billy coming toward her again. Billy expected to run round the house and come out on the street, but he was unable to do so, as the opposite side of the yard was enclosed by a high fence which he could not jump; and here the boys cornered him. He was going to butt them and get away, but the St. Bernard barked to him to let himself be caught and then they could have a race and see which could run the faster.

When Hero proposed this he, of course, thought he could beat Billy and not half try, or he would not have suggested it. Billy Jr., on the other hand, was sure he could beat Hero, so he let himself be caught and led into the front yard where he was soon hitched to Ned’s cart, while Hero was re-harnessed and hitched to another by Will, his master.

Soon the dog and goat were ready for the race and they were led into the middle of the street, Ned and Will each in their respective carts, and the other boys standing around ready to follow them when they started. A boy stood at the head of each animal, letting go when the word was given. Both the goat and the dog started at such a pace that the boys lost their hats and came near being thrown backwards out of their carts. Billy gave one leap which carried him ahead of the dog and jerked the cart along on its back wheels. Away down the street they sped, dodging wagons whose drivers stopped and stuck their heads out at the sides to see the fun. Hero, who was fat and short winded, seeing that he would have to do his best, ran with his tongue hanging out of his mouth, panting for breath, while Billy Jr., who was slender and in fine condition, closed his mouth and ran swiftly as an antelope, coming out way ahead.

“Hurrah for you, Billy! I shall take you home with me and keep you, for I consider you a good friend and you shall have the best supper you have had in a long while.” Billy Jr. bleated his thanks and added that it could not be given to him any too quickly, as he was both hungry and thirsty. “Before I go I want to tell Hero that I would like to have another race with him some other day when he is in better trim, for I beat him too easily this time.”

Hero thought Billy was bragging about his victory, so he said the reason he had not beaten was because his collar was so tight that he could not get his breath. “Besides,” he added. “Will is much heavier than Ned.”

“Oh, if you think that is the reason,” said Billy Jr., “come out to-morrow and I will run you a race without any carts for a couple of miles instead of one, and then we shall see who will win.”

This was all the conversation they had, for Ned led Billy off, fearing the other boys might want to take him away from him. They said he had no more right to the goat than they had, as he was evidently a stray goat.

“That’s all right,” said Ned, “but none of you fellows have a wagon, so I guess I will keep Billy until his owner turns up and claims him, and I am ready to fight the first boy who meddles or tries to take him away from me.” This settled the matter, for Ned could whip any of the boys in that gang.