The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-03-09
Billy Whiskers
By Frances Trego Montgomery.

1 l "Ho, ho." thought BiIly,as he heard l the shots. someone has discovered 1 burglars, I guess Think I'll hurt ] along and see the fun, for someone 1 must be on their trail.'' 1 Imagine his surprise. on entering l an alley, to see running at full speed l toward him, and chased by a man and ! three dogs, one of his kidnappers! l Billy jumped into a, dark doorway for 1 fear the man might shoot and acci- 1 dentally hit him.
 1 And it was a good thing he did, for 1 whizz! went bullet and bang! went l the sound as it hit and entered an 1 old barrel just back of where Billy l had been standing.
 The kldnapper, now a burglar as well, came panting on, the bullet hay ing missed him. Seeing the dark door way, he lodged in, expecting to hide in the stable or run through it and l out the opposite door. thus throwins> l his pursuers off the track, but pIung. 1 went something hard against h:s stomach, and he was thrown back in to the allew as if shot from a cannon and left sprawling on his back. Be fore he could get up. the whole pack
 of dogs was upon him. and he would have been torn to piece had not the man with the gun driven them off. At this critical moment the police came hurrying into the alley, having heard the shots, and soon they were carrying the mussed up kidnapper off with them in the patrol wagon. Just before they had lifted him from the ground, his eye happened to wander in the direction of the door from which he had been SO rudely expelled, and there he saw the same blazing eyes and long bearded face he had seen in the hay loft.
 With a shudder, he exclaimed: The Old Man of the woods!" and let the police carry him off without any resistance.
 When they had disappeared, Billy quietly walked out and down the al ley, looking in every barrel, ash-can and packing box he could find to see if he could not discover the other kidna pper, as he was sure he must be somewhere around, well knowing one of them would not undertake a robbery of any kind alone.
 While Billy was niffing and nosing around, keeping his bright eyes and acute ears open for sight or sound Of the other man, who should he see enter the alley but Stubby, Button and Bettina!
 well, I never." he exclaimed. "By all that's wonderful, how did you three happen to be here at this time of night?"
 We're looking for a. goat by the name of Billy Whiskers, who gave us the slip lass night explained Stubby.
 Have you seen anything of a poor. thin, skinny, lop-eared goat? for if you rhave, he's the one we're looking for said Button.
 r 'FYe answered Billy, entering into the fun I just saw a goat answer ing that description talking to three donkeys-twe- little ones and a big one. If you follow your noses you will run into him pretty quick. as l saw him just as you three came up."
 "Oh, if that's the case" said Stub by, i've can soon catch up to him. so we will stay and have little talk with you.'
 "Oh, no, you won't stop and talk to me now, for I am out on import ant, hurry-up business. But i would like you to come and help dne if you will.''~
 (Tomorrow you will hear more of the m eeting of the friends.)
 Copyrighted by the Saalfield Publish
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