“Dere! Now ’ook what you did!” said Trouble himself, never offering to get up. “You pushed me in! But I get nice an’ clean now!” and he smiled joyously, for the water was warm and Trouble always liked to have his bath, more than once jumping into the tub before all his clothes were off.
“Yes, I guess you will get nice and clean,” laughed Ted. “Don’t you care, Jan,” he said to his sister. “This is the best way to wash off those eggs. Come on, Trouble, get up, and we’ll squeeze as much water out of you as we can. Then we’ll take you home.”
“Will you wide me on de bossy-goat?”
“Yes, we’ll ride you on the goat if he’ll let you stay on his back.”
Jan and Ted wrung as much water as they could from Trouble’s bloomers. They were very wet, but falling into the brook had taken out most of the egg stains. Then the little chap was lifted to the back of the goat. The animal did not mind in the least.
“He’s been ridden like this before,” decided Ted. “And I guess he’s been hitched to a wagon, too.”
“Oh, if we only could do that!” sighed Jan. “It would be such fun!”
“Maybe we can,” her brother told her as he held Trouble on the goat’s back with one hand and guided the animal with another hand on one horn. Jan did the same on the other side.
THE LITTLE CHAP WAS LIFTED TO THE BACK OF THE GOAT.
The Curlytops at Cherry Farm Page [50]