But what was the surprise of the boy, his keeper and all the racing people to see another goat exactly like Billy standing in the gateway to the racing ring!
“Well, I’ll be switched!” exclaimed the boy. “Where did that goat come from that is so much like ours? We better nab him; he would make a great mate for ours.” Then he attempted to take hold of the collar on Billy’s neck, expecting to find the collar their goats always wore, but there was none. His surprise was unlimited, and he called to a man standing near their goat to feel for the collar and there it was.
“Well, I’ll be hanged! If I haven’t driven a strange goat and never known it was not our own!”
Everyone thought it was the strangest thing they had ever heard of and many followed the boy and Billy into the yard where he was unharnessed and then led away and tied up with some other goats and sheep.
They had just left him alone when whom should Billy see but Stubby sticking his head through a hole in the fence near him.
“Billy, I came to congratulate you on the race. I never saw a prettier one, but my heart was in my mouth for awhile, you were so long getting started. And now what are you going to do? Here you are tied up and it is time we were going on or Nannie will be looking for us.”
“Why, I am going to start in a few minutes, just as soon as they give me a drink and I eat a bite or two. I am rather tired and thirsty from my race.”
“But you are tied and they won’t untie you for a while, I can tell you.”
“Oh, Stub, you make me tired at times! Especially when you think any old rope will keep me from escaping. Here comes my drink of water. Vamoose to the other side of the fence and as soon as I have eaten and drunk my fill I will baa and then you crawl under the fence and come and help me chew this rope in two.”
“All right, I will,” barked Stubby.