e
road, so he hurried along and went up on the veranda of the house
to stand in the shadow until the man went by, for he knew that
men often interfere with a goat's pleasure, even if it is only a
moonlight stroll.

The man having passed, he walked around the veranda trying every
now and then to look in at the window to see what kind of a house
his new master had. At last he came to the front door and he
could not help trying to taste the bell knob, it looked so much
like a knob of salt in the moonlight. To be sure he knew that it
was not salt, but it did look so good to eat, and he had often
eaten things before that were not down on the diet list of a
goat, so he took another chew but, horrors! what was that! There
was a terrible ringing and clanging in the house,--it sounded
like a fire bell; and the next minute Mr. Wagner stuck his head
out of the window and wanted to know who was there. Of course
there was no answer, and Billy stood as still as possible to
listen and see what Mr. Wagner would do next; then he walked to
the edge of the porch, and heard Mr. Wagner say, "Who is there?
Can't you answer, or are you deaf and dumb, or drunk?"

[Illustration]

Still no response, and Billy walked back and gave another lick at
the bell, which immediately gave another loud ring. Mr. Wagner
drew his head in, and Billy heard him say, "I'll come down and
break your stupid head for you, wakening people up this time of
the night!" When Billy heard this, he thought that it was time to
go, so he scooted around the house, and went and laid down by his
rope, just as if he were still tied and had not stirred a peg.

Mr. Wagner opened the door, and finding no one there, walked
around the house holding a candle over his head to see if some
drunken tramp had not rung the bell. He thought that he heard
steps on the veranda as he came to the door, but no one was in
sight only Billy Whiskers, apparently asleep by the shed.

"Hello! Billy old fellow, how are you getting along? Seen anyone
around here lately?"

But Billy only blinked and laughed in his skin to see Mr. Wagner
prancing around in his night-shirt, with the tallow from the
candle dropping on his bald head.

Mr. Wagner went in and was about to get into bed, when he thought
he saw in the moonlight a figure come out of the shed and go
toward the house. The moon went under a cloud just at that minute
and was hid from sight, so he kept still, straining his eyes to
see and his