"Don't you think you could find better ways than that to spend your money?" said Mr. Sanders.
"I don't think so," said Bobby. "If I can get it at the right price, it's a good investment. How much will you take?" he asked, turning to the man.
"I take me ten dollars," said the man.
"Too much," said Bobby. "It's more than I think the goat is worth and more than I care to pay."
"How much then?" asked the man.
"Seven dollars," answered Bobby. "I don't want to dicker with you or I would have offered you less. That is the most I can pay."
"Take the goat yes!" said the man. "It's a dumb-head, anyhow. I belief me."
Bobby opened the gate joyfully and patted the goat on the neck. The goat, tired and dusty, felt grateful for that touch just as Billy had felt and when Bobby said "Come on," it followed gladly.
"I'll bring you the money right away," said Bobby. "Come on," he called again to the goat, and ran back to the barn. Running into Billy's stall, he said: "Billy, my boy, I've brought a new friend for you and I want you to be good to this stranger." With that the strange goat came in after him and Billy leaped up with a bleat of joy. The new goat was his mother!
Bobby ran back to the house to get his money, leaving the two goats together, and they had so much to tell each other at once that neither one of them heard very much what the other was saying, until Billy happened to pay attention to where his mother was explaining how she had just been sold to Bobby.