sery and the dolls for the sake of being
out-of-doors.

Old Billy Bumps, who had lived almost the life of a hermit for part of
the winter, was now allowed the freedom of the premises for a part of
each day. They kept the gates shut; but the goat had too good a home,
and led too much a life of ease here at the Corner House, to wish to
wander far.

The girls ran out to the rescue of any stranger who came to the Willow
Street gate. It was not everybody that Billy Bumps "took to," but many
he "took after."

When he took it into his hard old head to bump one, he certainly bumped
hard--as witness Mr. Con Murphy's pig that he had butted through the
fence on the second day of his arrival at the old Corner House.

That particular pig had been killed, but there was another young porker
now in the cobbler's sty. Neale O'Neil continued to lodge with Mr. Con
Murphy. He was of considerable help to the cobbler, and the little
Irishman was undoubtedly fond of the strange boy.

For Neale _did_ remain a stranger, even to his cobbler friend, as Mr.
Murphy told Ruth and Agnes, when they called on him on one occasion.

"An oyster is a garrulous bir-r-rd beside that same Neale O'Neil. I know
as much about his past now as I did whin he kem to me--which same is
jist nawthin' at all, at all!"

"I don't believe he _has_ a past!" cried Agnes, eager to defend her
hero.

"Sure, d'ye think the bye is a miracle?" demanded Con Murphy. "That he
has no beginning and no ending? Never fear! He has enough to tell us if
he would, and some day the dam of his speech will go busted, and we'll
hear it all."

"Is he afraid to tell us who he really is?" asked Ruth, doubtfully.

"I think so, Miss," said the cobbler. "He is fearin' something--that I
know. But phat that same is, I dunno!"

Neale O'Neil had made good at school. He had gained the respect of Mr.
Marks and of course Miss Georgiana liked him. With the boys and girls of
grade six, grammar, he was very popular, and he seemed destined to
graduate into high school in June with flying colors.

June was still a long way off when, one day, Tess and Dot begged Neale
to harness Billy Bumps to the wagon for them. Uncle Rufus had fashioned
a strong harness and the wagon to which the old goat was attached had
two seats. He was a sturdy animal and had been well broken; so, if he
wished to do so, he could trot all around the big yard with Tess and Dot
in the cart.

Sometimes Billy Bumps did not care t