she had not seen
for many years. She said she would take Flossie and Freddie with her. Nan
and Bert were going to a moving picture show with another boy and girl and
the latter's mother.

Mrs. Robinson lived on the east side of New York, in what is called an
apartment house. Some called them tenements, and in them many families are
crowded together, for room is very valuable in the big city of New York.

After Mrs. Bobbsey had talked for a while with her former girlhood friend,
Flossie and Freddie, who had been sitting still in the parlor, asked if
they could not go out in the street and watch the other children at play.

"Yes, but don't go off the steps," said their mother.

The two Bobbsey twins promised, but something happened that made them
forget. This was the sight of a red-haired, snub-nosed boy, driving a
goat, hitched to a small wagon, up and down the street.

"Oh, look at that!" cried the excited Freddie. "Isn't that great!"

"It's cute," said Flossie. "I wonder if he'd give us a ride?"

"Let's ask him," said Freddie. "I've got ten cents. Maybe he'd ride us for
that. Come on!"

And so, forgetting all about their promise not to go off the steps of the
apartment house where their mother's friend lived, the two small Bobbsey
twins hurried down to look at the goat.

CHAPTER XX

MR. BOBBSEY COMES BACK

"Hey, Jimmie! Give us a goat ride, will you?" called a boy in the street.

"I will for two cents," answered the red-haired lad driving the goat and
wagon.

"Aw, go on. Give us a ride for a cent!"

"Nope. Two cents!"

"Oh, did you hear that?" asked Flossie of Freddie. "He gives rides for two
cents."

"Then we'll have some," said Freddie. "How many rides can you get for ten
cents?"

"A lot, I guess," said Flossie, who forgot all about the number-work she
had studied for a little while in school.

"Hey!" called Freddie to the boy with the goat. "We've got two cents--we
want a ride."

The boy, who was sitting in an old goat wagon, pulled on the reins and
guided his animal over toward the curb.

"Does you really want a ride?" he asked, "No foolin'?"

"No foolin'," answered Freddie. "Sure we want a ride. I've got five
cents." He showed only half of the money he had in his pocket, keeping the
other nickel back.

"I'll give you an' your sister a ride for dat!" cried the goat boy, not
speaking the way Freddie and Flossie had been taught to do. "Hop in!"

"Can I drive?" asked Freddie.

"