“Where’s our goat?” asked Trouble, peering out from where he had tried to hide himself behind Jan. “Where’s Nicknack?”
“Back in the field where we left him,” answered Ted. “Do you want him, Trouble?”
“Maybe him could make sheeps go ’way,” answered Baby William. “Nicknack could hit ’em wif his horns.”
“Maybe he could and maybe he couldn’t,” answered Ted. “Anyhow,” he said to himself, “I wish we were back in the goat wagon. If I’d’ve known these sheep was here I wouldn’t have come in this field!”
Meanwhile the sheep were pressing closer and closer about the Curlytops and Trouble. The woolly animals perhaps meant no harm, and might not have hurt the children. But the old ram was anxious to get very close to the two little boys and their sister. Maybe he wanted to make sure they would not bother the sheep, for the ram of a flock of sheep is a sort of guard, or policeman, you know.
And the ram, pushing his way in through the flock from the outside, kept edging the sheep nearer the three children.
“Oh, dear!” exclaimed Janet. “I don’t like this a bit!”
“It isn’t much fun,” agreed her brother. “Maybe we can get out. Come on, we’ll try.”
He started to push his way through the flock, but the big ram gave a loud “Baa-a-a-a!” and lowered his head and horns as if to tell Ted that this was no time for going away.
Suddenly, when Janet felt that she must cry, and tears were already in the eyes of Baby William, a voice called to the children: