ran out the
door and sent those that were standing there scattering like a
flock of chickens. All you could see for a while were blue
stockings, black stockings, white petticoats and heels as the
girls ran screaming in all directions. Each girl thought Billy
was behind her, but was too afraid to turn round to look, so kept
running until she had reached a place of safety, either climbing
a fence or getting behind something; and then when she turned to
look there was no Billy Goat in sight, for Mr. Billy had
disappeared in a small grove behind the store.

After Billy had left them he went on through the woods until he
came to a little shanty with a small clearing behind it, where
cabbages, turnips and such things were planted, and as the gate
was open he walked in and began to help himself for he saw at a
glance that everything was shut up tight and that there was no
one at home.

After eating all he wanted he walked up to the porch where he saw
a nice pail of water. This he drank in a twinkle and while doing
so thought of that mean soda-water man who would not give him a
drink.

"But I don't care," thought Billy, "this tastes better, and I got
even with him anyway."

Billy looked round and saw a straw-stack at the further end of
the yard and a low shed, which backed up to another shed in the
next yard. Billy noticed for the first time that there was
another house and yard adjoining the one where he was and from
there he could hear voices saying, "Good-night." Then all was
still and he walked to the straw-stack and lay down in its
shelter and was soon fast asleep.

He had no idea how long he had been asleep when he heard a woman
say, in a high-pitched voice:

"Rooney, I told you, you would leave that gate open once too
many times and some one's cow would get in and eat up all the
cabbages; and now look, some cow or horse has been in here and
eaten and trampled down all of our nice young cabbages and
turnips. I've a mind to shake your head off, so I have!"

Then the same voice raised itself and called "Tim, Tim, come here
and see what mischief has been done!"

Billy lay still and looked in the direction from which he heard
the voice sound, and presently he saw a short, fat, red-headed
boy come around the corner of the house. They went to the cabbage
patch and began to replant the cabbages that he had trampled down
and not eaten, when all of a sudden the woman looked in the
direction of the straw-stack and sp