had done all the mischief, he could find none,
so he took it for granted that some stray goat had come in and
done all the damage, and once again Billy got off without being
punished for his misdeeds.

[Illustration]

_Billy As a Performer in the Circus_

One day when all the goats were grazing in the pasture, Billy
looked up and saw coming toward them the farmer and a large, fat
man.

"What can they want?" thought Billy. "I guess I will walk out and
meet them and hear what they are talking about."

As he came within hearing distance, he heard the farmer say:
"Here he comes now, the one I was telling you about and I don't
think you will have any trouble in teaching him anything you want
to, for he seems very smart and not afraid of 'Old Nick'
himself."

"That is good," said the circus-man, "for a timid goat is no good
in a circus where they have to be with all the other animals."

"So," thought Billy, "this is a man from the circus up in town
and he is thinking of buying me and making me perform in his
circus. Well, I guess not," and he kicked up his heels in their
faces and skipped off to the other side of the stream where they
could not get him.

"It takes three to make a bargain where there is a goat in the
case," said Billy to himself, "and I will give them a good chase
if they try to catch me. And should they catch me, I pity the men
and animals at the circus when I get there for I shall use my
sharp horns to advantage and split a hole in their old tent and
come back to Nanny. Now they are looking at Satan, maybe the man
will buy him. No, I am afraid he won't for he is shaking his head
and pointing at me and here they come. The farmer is holding out
his hand as if he had something in it for me to eat. Oh, no, Mr.
Farmer, I am too old a goat to be caught with chaff. However, I
will stand still on this side of the stream and see what they
will do."

And there Billy stood with his head raised waiting for them and
he made as fine a picture of a goat as you ever saw, standing on
a little green knoll with the silvery stream running at his feet.

The circus-man was delighted with him for he was almost twice
the size of any other goat he had ever seen, and he thought how
fine he would look dressed up as a professor with his long, silky
beard.

By this time the men were directly opposite Billy and he noticed
that the circus-man kept his hands behind him all the time, but
presently he drew them for