You will have to bring better
proof than that before I give him up."

"Well, I don't want him anyway," said the policeman, "and you
will be glad to get rid of him yourself in a day or two for he is
the most troublesome goat you ever heard of. You should hear of
the mischief he got into at the flat we took him from."

"Very well," said the fireman, "I'll stand all the trouble he
will cause."

And with that he led Billy out of the yard into their back yard
and gave him a nice place to sleep, a big dinner and a bucket of
water, all of which Billy was thankful for as he was both hungry
and thirsty after his trip to the fire.

After his first ride on the hose-cart, Billy liked it so much
that every time the cart went out Billy went too and rode, as he
had before, with his hind legs on the step and his fore feet on
the coil of hose in front of him and the fireman always steadied
him with his arm. And soon this fire company was known as the
White Goat Company, with Billy as its mascot.

Billy had been with the firemen about a month, when one day he
heard them talking about a procession they were going to be in,
that all the fire-engines, hose-carts and hook-and-ladder
companies were to be in the parade and that the horses were to
have their hoofs gilded and wear collars of roses, and that he,
Billy, was to have his horns and hoofs gilded also, and wear a
rose collar and be led by a chain made of roses, by one of the
firemen who was to wear a red shirt, black trousers and high
patent leather boots and his fireman's hat with a visor.

When Billy heard this he said, "I won't march in their old
procession, and make a circus of myself. I'll run away first."
But he did not get a chance.

When the morning of the day of the procession came, Billy watched
the firemen polish the brass of the engine and trim it with
garlands of flowers tied with bright colored ribbons; but when
they commenced to gild the horses' hoofs one of them said to him:

"It will be your turn next Billy; we are going to give you a
scrubbing in the tub until your hair is as soft and shiny as
silk, and then we are going to gild your long horns and tie blue
ribbons on them, and put the handsomest wreath of pink roses we
can find round your neck. My! but you will look fine, Billy. And
we expect you to behave and walk in a dignified manner, for the
Fire Marshal is going to give you a gold medal to wear round your
neck for saving the baby's life."

"It is v