"I've brought de goat," he said to Freddie, as soon as he saw that small Bobbsey with Bert.
"What does it all mean?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, while a crowd of the hotel guests and help gathered about.
"Why, your little boy, Ma'am, what I rode in me goat wagon up and down our block, said you'd buy Billy when I was ready to sell him. I'm ready now, 'cause I'm goin' to work. So I brought de goat an' wagon here to de hotel, just as your little boy made me promise to do. It'll be five dollars for de goat."
For a moment Mrs. Bobbsey did not know what to say. Then she turned to Freddie and asked:
"Did you really tell him you'd buy his goat, Freddie?"
"I said you'd buy it for Flossie and me. Won't you? We can have such fun with it!"
"A goat in a New York hotel!" cried Bert, laughing, "Oh, dear!"
"Hush, Bert," said his mother. "Freddie did not know any better. Of course we can't keep it," she said to Mike, "and I'm sorry you had the trouble of bringing him here. My little boy didn't stop to think, I'm afraid. He should have told me. But here is a dollar for your trouble, and I think you can easily sell your goat somewhere else."
"Oh, yes, I can easy sell him," said Mike. "But your little boy made me promise to bring Billy to dis hotel to-day and here I am, 'cordin' to promise."
"Yes, I see you kept your word," and Mrs. Bobbsey could not help smiling. "But really we have no place to keep a goat here, and we could hardly take it to Lakeport with us. So I'm afraid Freddie will have to do without it."