HOME AGAIN
By this time it was about three o’clock in the morning. There were two
good hours before daylight, and the time was improved by travelling as
fast as possible. Billy and his party kept within the woods wherever
possible, the monkeys, for the most part, staying in the trees, leaping
from one to another, which is the way they get about in their native
forests. They can travel much faster that way than on the ground. They
all enjoyed the freedom they were experiencing for the first time in
years very greatly, and were in the best of spirits.
The racket their chattering made was so loud that Billy had to caution
them about it for fear they might attract attention, and this they did
not want to do.
It was easy to imagine what was sure to happen if anyone discovered
that there was a drove of monkeys loose in the woods. The whole
community would be quickly aroused and a big hunt started. By all means
discovery of this sort must be avoided.
As soon as signs of daylight began to appear in the east, Billy looked
about for a good place to hide during the day where they would all be
safe and could rest in peace and quiet until night came again when the
journey could be resumed.
It so happened that they were at this time following the course of a
little river which ran between steep banks of great rocks. Billy’s
sharp eyes soon detected an opening between two of these large enough
for him to go in, so in he went. To his surprise, this opening grew
in size as he advanced until shortly he found himself in a dark cave
as big as a large room. There couldn’t have been a better place for
them to spend the day. A little brook ran through the cave so that the
supply of good water was abundant.
It was plain to be seen from the bones scattered about that sometime
this cave had been the home of wild animals, probably wolves or
bears, but there were no signs of recent occupation, so Billy was not
disturbed by any fears.
Going out, he hastily summoned the monkeys and told them of his
fortunate discovery of a good hiding-place and bade them to lose no
time in getting out of sight as it would soon be broad daylight. This
they did in a hurry, Colonel Mandrill leading the way.
You might suppose that by this time they must have all been very hungry
and so they would but that on their way during the night, they had
passed through many fields where there was plenty of corn and pumpkins,
through orchards where the boughs of the trees were bending beneath
their weight of beautiful, ripe apples, through cabbage patches
and fields of turnips. All the time they had helped themselves to
everything they wanted.
If they were not hungry, they were certainly tired. The excitement of
the railroad wreck and the unusual exertions of a two hours’ tramp
were enough to bring weariness to even the youngest and friskiest of
the monkeys. Soon it was quiet in the cave except for the snoring of
Colonel Mandrill who never could sleep quietly.
Evening had come before even Billy Whiskers, who had the responsibility
of the expedition on his hands, roused from his deep, refreshing
slumbers. He supposed from the silence all about him that all the
others were still sleeping. As it was dark in the cave he could not
tell whether it was day or night, so he thought he would slip out and
take a look around when he could decide whether or not it was safe to
start out. With this wise plan in mind, he made his noiseless way very
nearly to the entrance of the cave, when--for the last time in this
story--the long arm of Colonel Mandrill darted forth and nabbed him
hard and fast.
“No you don’t, Billy Whiskers, for I have caught you again! It’s
my belief that you have planned to sneak off and leave us here by
ourselves. If I really thought so, I’d fix you here and now so you
could never play us such a trick again. What have you got to say for
yourself?”
“It’s no such thing,” answered Billy, mad through and through at this
unjust suspicion, but scared at the same time. “I was just going out
for a minute to see what time it is. This cave is so dark that I can’t
tell anything about it. If you don’t believe me, you can come too.”
“I will,” grimly answered old Blue Nose.
Outside they found that the sun was already down and that it was fast
growing dark.
Billy Whiskers and Colonel Mandrill agreed that it would be safe to
start as soon as the other monkeys were awake and ready.
“I think,” said Billy, “that this little river here is the Tuscarawas.
If so, I know my way and we shall have no difficulty in finding
Cloverleaf Farm. By travelling fast, if we are not stopped or hindered,
we should be there by three or four o’clock in the morning.”
With that encouraging prospect before them, they started in good
spirits. In a surprisingly short time it seemed, Billy Whiskers began
to look about for familiar landmarks.
In the distance to the left, he discovered a group of buildings which
he made out to be The Corners where he had first learned about the
Circus and seen the billboards. A little later he saw and recognized
the big chestnut tree where Mr. Coon lived.
“We’ll make for that,” thought Billy. “If the old marauder is out and
comes home to find a lot of monkeys perched in his tree he’ll think he
is having the worst nightmare that ever horrified a healthy coon. How I
shall laugh at the sight of him!”
[Illustration: TOM AND HARRY INVITED THEM TO THE HOUSE.]
Billy didn’t dream of the tragedy he was about to witness.
Soon they had come to the big chestnut tree, and the monkeys, without
being told, quickly climbed into its lofty branches, waiting for Billy
to decide on the next move.
While he was considering how he could best put in his unexpected
appearance at Cloverleaf Farm, he thought he saw two figures of what
seemed to be small boys hiding behind a clump of blackberry bushes not
very far away. They came shortly after he arrived and evidently did not
see either him or the monkeys.
He was right, for Tom and Harry Treat had come out with their guns to
try and get a shot at Mr. Coon, who of late, it seems, had been very
bold and had acquired the very bad habit of robbing the hen roost at
Cloverleaf. Only the night before he had imprudently selected for his
midnight supper the finest young white Leghorn rooster on the place.
This was the more provoking because the boys had expected to enter this
same rooster at the county fair to be held the next week. The Coon had
now gone too far in his depredations and it was decided to put an end
to him at whatever cost of time and trouble. This explains why they
were watching with their guns at this time of night the old chestnut
tree, for it was well known to be the Coon’s house.
[Illustration]
Presently a scratching inside the trunk of the tree might have been
heard and very soon the head of the ill-fated Coon appeared at the
door of his house. He crawled lazily out on the great limb near at
hand and was about to scratch himself, as was his wont, when he espied
one of the monkeys. He couldn’t believe his own eyes, so he winked
hard and looked again. Instead of one, he now saw a whole group of his
archenemies here and there and everywhere, all silently watching him,
Colonel Mandrill the nearest to him of all. With that he closed both
eyes and toppled off the big limb to the ground. Just then two shots
rang out on the still air, and at the same time both Tom and Harry
rushed forward to make sure that the Coon did not even yet get away.
He was dead. There could be no doubt of that, but no mark of a bullet
was found upon him. At the unexpected sight of the monkeys, his old and
most-dreaded enemies, he had perished of heart failure.
While the boys were wondering how it was that the Coon had died while
the bullets from neither of their guns had touched him to their
increased amazement and utter astonishment, Billy Whiskers appeared
before them, coming from the other side of the great chestnut trunk.
On the part of each there was every indication of joy at the unexpected
reunion.
In the meantime the monkeys had climbed down from their lofty perches
and, according to their custom, silently formed a circle about their
leader and his friends. When the boys saw them they thought that
wonders would never cease.
It would be too much to say that they were not a little frightened at
first, but as soon as they saw that Billy Whiskers took it as a matter
of course and recognized who the monkeys were, they invited them all to
come with Billy to the house, assuring them of a cordial welcome.
On the way, Colonel Mandrill told Billy that the wicked Coon had
doubtless died of heart disease brought on by the sight of him and
his family, and explained that this same Coon had travelled with their
Circus three summers before, that he had been placed in their cage and
that they had no end of fun with him.
“Of course,” went on the Colonel, “the more he hated our teasing and
the crosser he grew, the better we enjoyed the sport.”
Finally, it appeared, “old ring tail,” as the monkeys called the
Coon, had made his escape just in time to save himself from nervous
prostration. They had never expected to see him again.
By the time this story was finished, they had reached the barnyard. It
was then between five and six o’clock of the beautiful October morning.
The animals were just beginning to move about. Billy Whiskers was so
excited that he could hardly contain himself. The first of his old
friends he encountered was old Bob, the big Newfoundland dog. Their
happy greeting was most enthusiastic. Like wildfire the news spread
that Billy Whiskers had come home, and all his friends rushed to
welcome him. They were all present, including Mr. and Mrs. Treat and
little Dick.
What rejoicings there were! Even the monkeys were treated well on his
account, though it must be confessed that it was with difficulty that
aversion and suspicion of them were concealed.
Mr. Treat said that they would soon learn all about it. In this he was
right for the city paper brought in by the rural delivery man that day
gave a full account of the wrecked railroad train and told how, in the
hubbub, the famous Billy Whiskers and his trained monkeys had escaped.
In another place there was a big announcement offering a reward of
twenty-five hundred dollars for the safe capture of the runaways.
[Illustration]
Mr. Treat, without telling any of the family, at once drove to the
nearest telegraph office and wired the manager that the lost animals
were all safe at Cloverleaf Farm.
The following morning the Circusman with Mike and Jim appeared on the
scene.
It was soon arranged that Billy’s engagement was considered closed.
Owing to the lateness of the season and the serious wreck, the show
would at once go into winter quarters. The only difficulty was to
induce the monkeys to go, leaving Billy behind. It was finally
decided to build on the big lumber wagon a strong removable cage. When
finished, Billy, to whom the scheme had been explained, jumped in at
once and the monkeys followed. At the other end of the cage two of the
bars had been fixed so that one of them could be dropped down and the
other raised up thus making a hole big enough for Billy to get through.
When all the monkeys were in, Mike and Jim made the opening for Billy
and out he popped before the rest knew what was up. They then made an
awful outcry and tore around like all possessed, but it did no good.
Billy got out of sight and sound as soon as he could, for though he did
not love the monkeys and they were more mad than sad at parting with
him, still, on the whole, they had had good times together and been a
great help to each other.
“I feel about parting with the monkeys a good deal as I do about old
Mr. Coon. Though I know he richly deserved his fate, it makes me blue
to think about it. It was a disgrace to be an acquaintance of his, but
I can’t help admitting that he was often entertaining company. It’s the
same way with the monkeys.”
With the reward money received for the return of the monkeys to their
owners, Mr. Treat bought one of the automobiles that were then just
beginning to be introduced for use in the country. This pleased the
boys greatly. Beside that he put a thousand dollars away to be used
for Tom, Dick, and Harry’s education when they were older.
And so, for the present, we will leave Billy Whiskers at home again,
more admired and famous than ever before, enjoying as he had never done
in the old days the peace and plenty of Cloverleaf Farm, surrounded by
a host of good friends and many interests.
THE END.
_The_
Billy Whiskers Series
[Illustration: SAALFIELD]
[Illustration]
_By
Frances
Trego
Montgomery_
[Illustration]
The antics of frolicsome Billy Whiskers, that adventuresome goat Mrs.
Montgomery writes about in these stories make all the boys and girls
chuckle--and every story that is issued about him is pronounced by them
“better than the last.”
TITLES IN SERIES
1. Billy Whiskers
2. Billy Whiskers’ Kids
3. Billy Whiskers, Junior
4. Billy Whiskers’ Travels
5. Billy Whiskers at the Circus
6. Billy Whiskers at the Fair
7. Billy Whiskers’ Friends
8. Billy Whiskers, Jr., and His Chums
9. Billy Whiskers’ Grandchildren
10. Billy Whiskers’ Vacation
11. Billy Whiskers Kidnaped
12. Billy Whiskers’ Twins
13. Billy Whiskers in an Aeroplane
14. Billy Whiskers in Town
17. Billy Whiskers at the Exposition
18. Billy Whiskers Out West
19. Billy Whiskers in the South
20. Billy Whiskers in Camp
21. Billy Whiskers in France
22. Billy Whiskers’ Adventures
23. Billy Whiskers in the Movies
24. Billy Whiskers Out for Fun
25. Billy Whiskers’ Frolics
26. Billy Whiskers at Home
27. Billy Whiskers’ Pranks
BOUND IN BOARDS
COVER IN COLORS
PROFUSE TEXT ILLUSTRATIONS
FULL-PAGE DRAWINGS IN COLORS
THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY--AKRON, OHIO
BOOKS BY FRANCES TREGO MONTGOMERY
The Wonderful Electric Elephant
[Illustration]
“A new and fascinating sort of fairy story.”--_Salt Lake Tribune._
“A book in which youth will take keen pleasure.”--_The Bookseller._
By a fortunate chance Harold Fredericks comes into possession of a
wonderful mechanical elephant so ingeniously contrived that it will
pass for a real animal under even the closest inspection. The interior
is fitted up luxuriously, affording the finest accommodations for
Harold and the traveling companion he secures by another lucky chance.
The boy or girl wanting something new in the story line is sure to find
it in this chronicle.
CLOTH BOUND, 12MO, PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED, WITH JACKET
On a Lark to the Planets
[Illustration]
“This sprightly author holds the record for
inventiveness.”--_Philadelphia Item._
“The colored illustrations are a feature of delight.”--_Grand Rapids
Herald._
“As a book for children, nothing could be more desirable. It is an
assurance of happiness for any young person to be the possessor of
this charming story.” That is the verdict of one critic passing on the
sequel of “The Wonderful Electric Elephant,” which follows the further
fortunes of Harold and Ione as they travel to the planets.
BOUND IN CLOTH, 12MO, HANDSOMELY ILLUSTRATED, WITH JACKET
Frances and the Irrepressibles at Buena Vista Farm
[Illustration]
“Told with a freshness and vivacity that never fails.”--_Charleston
News and Courier._
Seven boys and as many girls spend a long summer on a beautiful farm
and because of the pranks of those merry weeks they are dubbed “The
Irrepressibles.” And, best of all, the book is filled to brimming over
with pictures of these real boys and girls.
ILLUSTRATIONS REPRODUCED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS, CLOTH BOUND
THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY--AKRON, OHIO
BOOKS FOR BOYS
The Boy Scout Series
_By
Major Robert Maitland
and
Colonel George Durston_
Where is there the boy not interested in adventure?
Where the boy not intensely interested in the Boy Scouts too?
Adventure plus Boy Scouts--there is nothing more to be desired, at
least that is the way the boys feel who have read these stirring tales.
TWELVE TITLES
1. The Boy Scouts in Camp
2. The Boy Scouts to the Rescue
3. The Boy Scouts on the Trail
4. The Boy Scout Firefighters
5. The Boy Scouts Afloat
6. The Boy Scout Pathfinders
7. The Boy Scout Automobilists
8. The Boy Scout Aviators
9. The Boy Scouts’ Champion Recruit
10. The Boy Scouts’ Defiance
11. The Boy Scouts’ Challenge
12. The Boy Scouts’ Victory
Each Volume A 12MO, With An Attractive Jacket Printed In Colors, Each
$0.25.
The Aeroplane Boys Series
_By Captain Frank Cobb_
Valorous deeds on land and sea are all very well--but now come tales
of the air to thrill the boy’s heart. And here are three than which
there are no better. High in the air the heroes fight out their own
salvation--their own and others too, who never would dare the heights.
BATTLING THE CLOUDS
AN AVIATOR’S LUCK
DANGEROUS DEEDS
Each Volume A 12MO, With Frontispiece, And Jacket In Colors, Each $0.35.
THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY--AKRON, OHIO
BOOKS FOR GIRLS
The Campfire Girls Series
_By Jane L. Stewart_
[Illustration]
Never was there a Campfire composed of girls more charming than those
claiming membership in the Manasquan Campfire. They just bubble over
with high spirits, and the merry times they have make the best of tales
for every whole-hearted girl who likes life in the great out-of-doors.
[Illustration]
SIX TITLES
THE CAMPFIRE GIRLS IN THE WOODS
THE CAMPFIRE GIRLS ON THE FARM
THE CAMPFIRE GIRLS AT LONG LAKE
THE CAMPFIRE GIRLS IN THE MOUNTAINS
THE CAMPFIRE GIRLS ON THE MARCH
THE CAMPFIRE GIRLS AT THE SEASHORE
Each Volume Has A Frontispiece And A Handsome Colored Jacket, Each
$0.50.
The Girl Scout Series
_By Katherine Keene Galt_
Rosanna is the altogether lovely and lovable heroine of the three
stories which tell how she became a Girl Scout and what she
accomplished afterward, together with the help of her loyal group of
friends--every one of them as much interested in the Girl Scouts as
Rosanna herself.
THREE TITLES
THE GIRL SCOUTS AT HOME, or Rosanna’s Beautiful Day
THE GIRL SCOUTS RALLY, or Rosanna Wins
THE GIRL SCOUTS TRIUMPH, or Rosanna’s Sacrifice
Each Volume Has A Frontispiece And A Jacket In Colors, Each $0.35.
THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY--AKRON, OHIO
The Billy Whiskers Game
No. 280
[Illustration]
A million delighted youngsters have read the
BILLY WHISKERS BOOKS
THERE’S A LAUGH ON EVERY PAGE
The same delighted youngsters (and their parents too) will play the new
board game where Billy DOES all the things the stories tell.
THERE’S A LAUGH AT EVERY PLAY
The Billy Whiskers Game
“_The Game’s The Thing!_”
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:
Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.