f a champagne bottle,
and the girls attached to the rope went down like a row of bricks. The
rope flew out of their hands, and the cow went careering down the track
with the rope dangling wildly after her, while the other cow, fired by
her example, came bawling after. When they found grass by the roadside
they became reasonable at once. Mother Meraut then took charge of them,
and, as Kathleen remarked, "that ended the first movement." The second
began when the goats were unloaded. Mademoiselle took no chances with
them. She got the agent to put ropes on them in the first place, and
Kathleen and Louise, cautiously advancing to the plank, held up
propitiatory offerings of grass.

"That's right," laughed Mademoiselle, "leading citizens with bouquets!
Perhaps a speech of welcome might help. They aren't the first old goats
to be received that way."

"Hush!" implored Louise. "My knees are knocking together so I can
hardly stand up now, and suppose they should butt!"

"In the words of the immortal bard 'butt me no butts,'" murmured
Kathleen, as they reached the gang-plank.

The agent, having attached the rope and released the goats from their
moorings, stood back and gave them full access to the open door,
holding the other end of the rope firmly in his hands. "You can take
the ropes when they are safely down the plank," he cried gallantly.
"They need a man to handle them."

"Oh, thank you," said Kathleen and Louise with one voice.

The goats accepted the suggestion of the open door at once and galloped
down the gang-plank with such reckless speed that the agent lost his
footing and came coasting down after them. "Mille tonneurs!" he
exclaimed, as he reached the end of the gang-plank and struck a bed of
gravel. "Those goats are possessed of the devil!"

The Doctor was beside him in an instant. "I hope you are not injured,"
she cried. "Is there anything I can do for you? I am a doctor."

"No, Madame," said the agent, bowing politely, as he got himself on his
feet again, "I am hurt only in my pride, and you have no medicine for
that!"

"Oh," cried Mademoiselle, "how brave it was of you! It's as you
say--they need a man to manage them!"

The station agent looked at the goats, who were now grazing peacefully,
attended by Kathleen and Louise, and then, a little thoughtfully, at
Mademoiselle. "It is indeed better that a man should take these risks,"
he said, throwing out his chest. "And there are still the pigs! I doubt