upsetting the water cooler and spilling all the lemonade. Then he
walked out and going into the first tent he came to, he found
himself in the room of the leading lady who was fast asleep on a
cot. At the end of the tent he saw a small table with a
looking-glass hanging above it, but when Billy saw his reflection
in it, he did not make the mistake of thinking it was another
goat like he had once before. He walked up to the table and
seeing a stick of red stuff that looked like candy, he ate it,
but it turned out to be a stick of red paint that the leading
lady used to paint her lips. After tasting her powder, and
upsetting her bottle of perfumery, and chewing her blonde wig,
thinking it some kind of yellow grass, he walked out without
awakening her.
Next he went into a tent that had pictures of snakes of all kinds
painted on it. This was the tent occupied by the snake charmers,
but Billy knew nothing about large snakes, only little inoffensive
garter snakes, so he went in and commenced nosing around in the
baskets he saw setting there with blankets in them to see what was
under the blankets.
In the first one, he felt something cold and slippery and not to
his taste, so he let it alone, thinking it a piece of garden
hose; but when he stuck his nose in the next basket something
long and slim and pliable stuck its head out and wound itself
around his body drawing itself tighter and tighter, until Billy
found himself staggering for want of breath. When he was nearly
squeezed to death he made a death-like groan which awoke the
Indian snake charmer who was asleep in one corner of the tent on
a pile of rugs. The man took in the situation at a glance, and
came to Billy's rescue, making the snake uncoil itself by playing
on a kind of bagpipe, a queer, weird, monotonous piece of music.
This charmed the snake and it uncoiled itself from Billy and,
swaying its body, crawled toward the snake charmer.
The second that Billy felt its coils slip from his body, he took
a long breath and ran from the tent not even stopping to wiggle
his head in thanks for his preservation. Once outside, he made
his way back to his own tent where he lay down on his pile of
straw to snatch a little sleep before daylight, as unconcerned as
if nothing had happened.
[Illustration]
_Billy and the Snakes_
The next day after Billy's midnight prowl which was Saturday,
there was great commotion among the circus people, for the
leading lady accused her rival, the brunette, of coming into her
dressing room while she slept and destroying her blonde wig;
while the pop-corn man said thieves had been at his stand and
broken his glass case and eaten his pop-corn, beside they had
spilled all his lemonade that he had intended using the next day;
the night watchman was going to be discharged for not attending
to his business; then the Indian snake charmer came along and
told them the thief had visited his tent but his snakes had
frightened him away.
"And he was a big fellow I can tell you. I did not dare tackle
him."
"Oh my!" said the leading lady, "and to think he was in my tent
and I slept through it all."
"There, I told you I did not touch your old straw colored wig!"
said the brunette.
And they all said, "Do tell us all about it, what time of the
night did he come, and which way did he go when he ran away?"
"All right," said the snake charmer, with a twinkle in his eye
the others did not see, "sit down and I will tell you all about
it,--how I was awakened by a groan, and saw standing in the
middle of my tent, a huge fellow, with a long, white beard and
white, agonized face; for you must know that my boa-constrictor
was squeezing him to death."
"Oh, how awful! Weren't you frightened?" said the leading-lady.
"No, because I knew he could not touch me while the snake was
coiled around him. At first I thought I would let the boa kill
him, but he looked so awful with his eyes sticking out of his
head, as the snake squeezed him tighter and tighter, that I felt
sorry for him; so I began to play the music I always play when I
want the snakes to come to me, and the boa stopped squeezing the
goat and came to me."
"Goat, did you say? You mean burglar."
"No, I mean goat, or _burglar_ if you would rather call him so,
for your thief was nothing more or less than Billy Whiskers."
"You mean, horrid man to fool us so!" they all said.
And the snake charmer got up and hurried out of the tent for he
saw blood in the eye of the champion boxer and he thought he had
better get out before the man took hold of him.
Saturday was to be the last day of the circus in Smithville and
immediately after the evening performance they were to break camp
and move in the night, and be on the road all day Sunday
traveling to the next town, where they were booked to give a
performance on Monday morning.
Now all this meant quick work and rapid travel, as they could not
go by train, there being no railroad to this town, so they had to
have their circus horses and wagons move them.
When Billy heard them talking about moving, he thought it would
be great fun and looked forward to it with pleasure. But he
little knew what was before him.
During the morning performance Billy behaved all right, but in the
afternoon he was so excited and anxious to be off that he behaved
very badly. He ran around the ring so fast that when the monkey
jumped through the paper hoops expecting to land on Billy's back,
he was beyond him and the monkey landed on the ground and had to
run to catch up. This made the ring-master angry and he hit Billy
a sharp cut with his whip, but instead of making him behave better
he got worse and worse. He would stand still and shake himself
until he nearly made the monkey's bones crack; and when the
ring-master hit him, he stood on his hind legs and the monkey had
to cling to his horns to keep from falling off. When Billy found
he could not throw the monkey, he ran for the pole in the center
of the ring that supported the tent, and tried to butt him off but
the monkey was too quick for him and dodged every time. At last
Billy tried rolling with him, but this the ring-master could not
allow as it would ruin the saddle strapped to his back. He gave
him a few good cuts with the whip that stung like everything and
this turned Billy's wrath from the monkey to him, and like a shot
he was up and after the ring-master. He planted his horns in the
middle of the ring-master's back and ran him to the edge of the
ring where he gave him a butt that sent him flying to the other
tent.
Billy was punished for this and told he should have no supper,
and he understood what they said although they did not suppose he
did.
"All right," he thought, "no supper, no performance, for I won't
behave and take my part unless I am fed. But I will find
something to eat even if they won't feed me, for a goat can eat
almost anything from tin cans to apples."
[Illustration]
The man who had tied Billy had scarcely gotten out of sight when
he commenced to chew his rope in two and when it dropped apart,
Billy walked over and commenced to eat the elephant's food. This
the elephant did not like. He told Billy to stop and go eat his
own supper, but Billy would not, neither would he take the
trouble to explain to the elephant that he hadn't any supper and
was expected to go supperless. Now if he had only told the
elephant, who had always been a good friend of his, he would
gladly have given him half of his supper; but Billy was in a
contrary mood and would say nothing, but kept on eating. This
provoked the elephant, so he quietly wound his trunk around Mr.
Billy and lifting him from the ground, set him on top of the
lion's cage that was standing near. Billy was more surprised when
he found himself standing on top of the lion's cage than he had
ever been in his life, but only for a minute for he jumped down
and disappeared through a tear in the canvas of the tent. As he
ran away he heard all the animals laughing, though you might have
called it the lion's roar and the hyena's call, and above all the
racket he heard the head animal keeper asking what all this
racket was about; and although they all tried to tell him by each
giving his particular call, he was too stupid to understand
animal talk, so lost all the fun of the joke.
When Billy came through the side of the tent, he found himself
near the tent where the horses and ponies were kept. Smelling
corn and oats, he walked in, and while talking to his particular
friends, the Shetland ponies, he helped himself to their supper.
While in this tent he became acquainted with a little Mexican
Burroetta that was destined to become his closest companion and
friend in the future. The Burroetta was just his height, of a
mouse color, with a white streak down its spine and four white
stockinged feet, but the most peculiar thing about its looks was
its exceedingly long ears,--ears that were as long as Billy's
horns. It was the cutest, smartest little creature you ever saw,
and had most beautiful, large, liquid eyes. It looked as mild as
a dove, but was quite deceiving for it was as full of the "old
scratch" as Billy himself. It must have been this kindred spirit
that drew them together from the first.
That night the people had come to the circus; looked at the
animals and passed into the performing tent; several of the
things on the programme had been gone through with and it was
Billy's turn to perform next and still Billy had not been found.
Every man and woman on the place had been looking for him, but
though they had hunted everywhere and inquired of every one if he
had seen a large, white goat with long whiskers, no one had seen
him and they were about to substitute something else for his
performance when one of the men, coming into the ponies' tent for
something, saw Billy lying down by the little Burroetta.
"Here Billy, you rascal, come along with me. We have been looking
everywhere for you."
And Billy was led off and made to go through his performance. But
to-night he was cross and still angry with the ring-master. So
when about through with his imitation of the professor, he leaned
over and took a mouthful of the leaves of the book and chewed
them up. Then he stood up in his chair with his gown and
spectacles on, and before anyone could stop him he had jumped
down and ran out of the tent, with the spectacles still on his
nose and his gown trailing after him.
The excitement and confusion this caused in the circus knew no
bounds. And when the children discovered that the astrologer was
nothing more or less than an ordinary goat, and that his voice
had come from a man, who was a ventriloquist, hid under the
platform, their disgust was complete and it broke up the circus
performance for that night.
Billy chewed, wriggled and pulled at his gown until he tore it
off and then he kicked up his heels and disappeared in the
darkness outside; and he was careful to keep in the shadows away
from the light, so no one could see him, for he had sense enough
to know that he had done wrong and would be punished if caught.
_What Billy Did on Sunday_
Billy, after running out of the circus, stood in the shadow of a
shed under a large tree. From his hiding place he could perceive
all that was going on at the circus as it was bright moonlight,
beside all the workmen had lights fastened in their caps so they
could see without the bother of carrying a lantern around.
First Billy saw them hitch the draft-horses to the animal wagons
and vehicles they had for carrying baggage. Then the big tent
closed as if it were an umbrella, and it was rolled up and put in
a wagon made purposely for hauling it; then all the riding horses
with the men and women performers on their backs, started the
procession. Next came the cages filled with animals and last the
baggage vans and feed wagons.
After they were well on their way Billy trotted on behind keeping
well in the shadows. They had been crawling silently along the
highways like a huge snake for a long while when all of a sudden
the long line came to a sudden halt.
There was great noise and confusion ahead and, of course, Billy's
curiosity called him to the front immediately to see what was the
matter. In passing the wagons which had been left by their
drivers to go forward and find out the cause of the sudden stop,
Billy accidentally ran into his friend, Senorita Burroetta, which
means Miss Baby Buro, as his friend was called.
"How are you, Betty?" For in their short acquaintance Billy had
shortened her name to that. "I did not know you with that pack on
your back. Aren't you tired carrying that heavy load?"
"Yes," answered Betty, "and the girth pinches me. They did not
get it on straight and every time I step it hurts me awfully."
"Here let me see if I can't fix it," said Billy.
"Oh never mind, I can stand it, for it isn't the first time they
have buckled a piece of skin in; beside you could not unbuckle it
with your teeth or feet."
"No, but I can chew the girth in two if you don't mind being
pinched a little more while I am doing it," said Billy.
So Billy commenced to chew the girth which he could get at easily
where it stuck out from Betty's side to pass over the load on her
back; and we know better than Betty that Billy was good at
chewing rope and straps in two. Soon the girth began to give and
Betty swelled herself out and the girth split in two and let the
load on her back slip to the ground.
Then the goat and Burro ran ahead to see what all the scolding
and loud talking were about. When they got there, they found the
elephant had broken down a little bridge that crossed the narrow
stream and there was no way to get the wagons over. The elephant,
before crossing, had put his forefoot out to try the strength of
the bridge and with a little shake the bridge had collapsed and
dropped into the water. Had he stepped on it without trying it,
he would most likely have been killed for it surely would have
gone down with him on it.
The only way now to get across was for the wagons to drive down
the steep embankment, through the water and up the other side.
This they proceeded to do, but Billy and Betty jumped the space.
Then they scampered on ahead after the horseback riders who had
gone before.
As they ran they could hear the lion's roar and the hyena's laugh
when their cages were driven into the water, and the water rose
on them, while the elephants kept up such a trumpeting that it
awoke all the country folks who were near enough to hear it, and
they thought the Day of Judgment had come and it was Gabriel's
trumpet they heard.
A poor, ignorant Swedish family that lived on the bank of the
stream by the bridge were awakened by the noise but were afraid
to get up and look out of the window to see what all the
commotion was about.
At last the brave husband by coaxing and threatening succeeded in
getting his wife out of bed. As she had never been to a circus in
her life or seen anything but the picture of wild animals, she
was nearly frightened to death at what she saw passing in the
moonlight, and ran back to bed and put her head under the covers
and would not speak a word, though her husband threatened to kick
her out of bed. Poor woman, she could not tell him what she saw,
for she did not know the name of the animals.
At last her husband got up courage enough to go to the window and
look out as his wife had, but he stayed less time than she did
for just as he got there the lions gave a mighty roar and all the
animals followed suit, for the lions' cage was passing through
the water and they did not like the cold water crawling up their
legs and of course they thought they were going to be drowned;
while the Swedish workman thought he was going to be chewed up
alive, and flew back to bed with teeth chattering and held on to
his wife for protection; and had a lion really come after them he
would probably have thrown his wife at the lion's head for him to
eat, while he made good his escape.
All this time Billy and Betty were trotting along side by side
gossiping about people in the circus, and all the time it became
lighter and lighter as it was getting nearer sunrise.
About five o'clock they saw, away in the blue distance, a tall
church steeple and they knew they must be nearing the town where
the circus was to be held.
As they came nearer they could hear the sound of the church bell
ring out on the stillness, calling the people to early morning
mass, and soon they could see the people going to church, and the
mothers take their children by the hand and pull them into the
church as they did not want them to see anything so wicked as a
circus procession on Sunday morning.
Billy noticing this, said, "Let us give the children a treat.
When the people are all in the church we will walk in and see
what it looks like inside."
The two mischief-makers hung around out of sight, until the
people had stopped going in, then they walked boldly into the
vestibule. Here they saw a marble basin filled with clear,
cool-looking water. They stopped and drank it, not knowing it was
the holy water the Catholics cross themselves with before
entering church.
The church aisle was separated from the vestibule only by two
green baize doors. These Billy and Betty pushed open with their
noses and while the organ was playing and the priests were
kneeling, Billy and Betty walked the whole length of the middle
aisle, side by side, as if they were a bridal couple. When they
arrived at the altar, Billy stopped and commenced to eat some
roses that were in a vase on the altar steps.
The congregation sat stupefied with horror to see these animals
in church and directly behind the kneeling priest and choir boys.
The music made Betty lonesome and she threw up her head and let
out such a loud, mule-like bray that it frightened the kneeling
priest and he jumped up as if shot for he thought he had heard
Balaam's ass bray; but when he turned and saw standing behind him
a live burro and a goat, his astonishment knew no bounds and he
stood gazing at them with open mouth, while the choir boys
laughed and giggled and thought it a good joke.
Soon the ushers and deacons came to their senses enough to come
forward and try to drive the beasts out. But when Billy saw them
coming he ran up the altar steps into the pulpit, and Betty ran
through the first door she saw open, which proved not to be the
outer door but one which led into the room where the choir boys
dressed.
When Betty appeared there, the boys laughed and screamed and
drove her out into the church again, and kicking up her heels she
ran out of the church, braying for Billy. When Billy saw her go
he ran down the altar steps, upsetting a near-sighted deacon who
was coming up to help drive him out, and bleating to Betty that
he was coming he rushed through the door.
They trotted along side by side down the street until they came
to a beautiful place surrounded by a tall, iron fence. Through
the fence they could see a large, brick residence with a cupola
on top. On one side of the house was the flower garden, while on
the other a fruit patch and vegetable garden. And oh, how good
the fresh, green lettuce and beet tops looked to these tired,
hungry travelers.
"Let us go in and help ourselves," said Billy.
"We can't get through the fence," said Betty, "and it is too high
to jump."
"You remind me of Nanny, for she was always finding objections
and obstacles to everything I wanted to do."
"Well, who in the world is Nanny? I should like to know," said
Betty.
"Why haven't I told you about her?" asked Billy.
"No, you have not, Billy Whiskers, and I should like to know
right away."
"Well, I will tell you, Senorita Burroetta, and you need not be
so cross about it either. She is my wife and a sweeter, dearer
little wife no goat ever had before!"
Betty stopped stock still in the road and glared at Billy for a
second, before she could speak from astonishment. Then she said:
"Billy Whiskers you are a gay deceiver and you know you never
told me you were married and I am sure I always thought you were
a bachelor."
"I am very sorry if it makes any difference to you, but I never
told you because we have been so busy talking of other things and
I have not had a chance."
"Oh, very well then," said Betty, "I will forgive you if you did
not mean to keep it from me."
So the two made up and commenced to look for a gate or way to get
into the garden. At last they saw where an iron bar or two of the
fence had been broken, making quite a good-sized hole and through
this they squeezed themselves and were soon having a feast off
of Deacon Jones's prize cabbages, lettuce and beets, while the
family, including the Deacon, were at church.
They were still eating when they heard the iron gates shut with a
clang and looking up they saw the Deacon coming toward them,
swinging his cane in frantic anger, showing that he had already
forgotten his Sunday-school lesson: "Let not your angry passions
rise."
[Illustration]
Billy, with a mouthful of carrots, started to run toward the
stables, trusting to find a way out and Betty with a twist of her
body and a squeal followed after him.
They were just going into the barn, the door of which was
standing open, when a little, yellow dog ran out at them and
commenced to bark and bite at Betty's heels. She let one foot fly
out quickly behind and Mr. Doggie went rolling over in the dirt,
and at that minute Billy spied a little open gate that led into
the orchard and through this they both ran with the Deacon and
dog still after them.
When they got to the other side of the orchard they came to a
rail fence. This Billy took at one jump, breaking the top rail as
he went over, and it was a good thing he did for it helped Betty
get over as she was not as high a jumper as Billy.
They were over the fence and a good way down the road before the
deacon got to the fence, and then he was so out of breath from
running that he gave up the chase, called off his dog, and
throwing two or three stones at them, turned and walked slowly
back to the garden to see what damage they had done.
Billy and Betty wandered around all day and at night went to
sleep in a straw stack on the outskirts of the town.
[Illustration]
_What Billy Did on Monday_
All day Sunday the circus people worked to get their tents up and
everything in shape for the Monday's performances, and when at
night they went to look over the animals to see if all were there
they missed Billy and Betty.
"Now there will be the dickens to pay," said the animal keeper,
"if that goat can't be found for he has been the means of
bringing more children to the circus than anything else we have
had for them."
"I will eat my shirt off if I know where to look for him! You can
bet your life he is a good one on a hide."
"You and I will have to go hunt him, John, so go saddle two
horses and we will start out. He must have turned into some of
the lanes we passed on our way here, and coaxed Betty off with
him. They could easily get away without being noticed when the
bridge broke down. You search the town and I will take the road
and lanes."
While the men were looking for the two runaways, they were
quietly grazing along the road that led to the town.
Now Billy got tired of the quiet and said, "Come Betty, let's go
into the town and see the sights and have some fun, and maybe we
can find a grocery store where there are good things setting
outside to eat, or a fruit stand," for Billy had not forgotten
how luscious the pears and peaches had tasted that he had stolen
from a fruit stand one day.
This was agreeable to Betty and the two trotted along side by
side toward the town. Presently they came to a large sign-board
on which pictures of the circus were posted. There Billy spied
himself pictured as trotting along with the monkey riding on his
back and jumping through the paper hoops.
At sight of the monkey Billy got mad, as usual, and before Betty
knew what he was going to do, he ran up to the fence and
commenced trying to butt it down, calling to Betty to come help
kick it over.
They were thus employed when a farmer came along the road and,
seeing them, took out his whip and drove them off.
They ran along before him for a while and then dropped back until
he had passed them. As soon as he had passed, Billy spied on the
back of his wagon a large basket of celery with the tops sticking
out over the edge.
"Look, Betty, look!" cried Billy, pointing his nose in the
direction of the wagon. "Let's follow on behind and eat up his
celery. It will be a good joke on him." And the two scampered
after the farmer and soon caught up, for he was driving slowly;
and he could not see them for the things that were piled up high
behind him.