"Oh, look at that!" cried the excited Freddie. "Isn't that great!"
"It's cute," said Flossie. "I wonder if he'd give us a ride?"
"Let's ask him," said Freddie. "I've got ten cents. Maybe he'd ride us for that. Come on!"
And so, forgetting all about their promise not to go off the steps of the apartment house where their mother's friend lived, the two small Bobbsey twins hurried down to look at the goat.
"Hey, Jimmie! Give us a goat ride, will you?" called a boy in the street.
"I will for two cents," answered the red-haired lad driving the goat and wagon.
"Oh, did you hear that?" asked Flossie of Freddie. "He gives rides for two cents."
"Then we'll have some," said Freddie. "How many rides can you get for ten cents?"
"A lot, I guess," said Flossie, who forgot all about the number-work she had studied for a little while in school.
"Hey!" called Freddie to the boy with the goat. "We've got two cents--we want a ride."
The boy, who was sitting in an old goat wagon, pulled on the reins and guided his animal over toward the curb.
"Does you really want a ride?" he asked, "No foolin'?"
"No foolin'," answered Freddie. "Sure we want a ride. I've got five cents." He showed only half of the money he had in his pocket, keeping the other nickel back.
"I'll give you an' your sister a ride for dat!" cried the goat boy, not speaking the way Freddie and Flossie had been taught to do. "Hop in!"
"Nope. I'm afraid to let youse," was the answer. "Billy's a good goat, but you see he don't just know you. Course I could introduce youse to him, an' then he'd know you. But first along you'd better not drive him. I'll steer him were you want to go. I gives a ride up an' down de block fer two cents," he went on. "Course two of you is four cents."
"I've got a nickel," said Freddie quickly.
"Sure, dat's right. I forgot. Well, I'll give you both a ride up and down de block and half way back again for de nickel."
"Here it is," said Freddie, handing it over, as he and Flossie took their seats in the goat wagon. There was plenty of room for them and the red-haired driver. Other children on the block crowded to the curbstone and looked on with eager eyes as the Bobbsey twins started on their ride. Mrs. Bobbsey, talking with her friend in the darkened parlor, knew nothing of what was going on.