 Nan and Billy Goat had been friends all their lives.
One morning they had a big surprise. Labels were tied to their collars and they were driven to the station and roped to a pole on the platform.
A cheeky boy read their labels. “This one is going to Scotland,” he said, as he tickled Billy’s ear. Then he read Nan’s label. “And this one is off to Wales,” and away he went to help a lady off a train.
Poor Nan began to cry loudly.
”I don’t want to go to Wales,” she wailed.
Billy was most upset.
”I have thought of a plan,” he said at last.
Billy came closer and started to nibble her label with his sharp teeth.
”If I eat it up, perhaps they will think we are both going to my address.”
All at once a porter saw him.
”Hi, there!” he shouted, and led Nan to the far end of the platform. There he tied her to a loaded trolly.
Billy shook his rope for a very long time. At last he was free, and trotted in and out of the busy crowd till he reached Nan.
”Keep quite still,” he said, and he nibbled at her label till nothing was left.
Then they stood side by side like two well-behaved goats. The porter came up. He looked puzzled to find Billy and Nan.
”I suppose someone brought him up ready for the train,” he said as he looked at Billy’s label. And he hustled them both into the guard’s van of the next train.
”Hurrah! Clever, Billy!” cried Nan.
A little boy met them.
”I had no idea Uncle was sending two goats!” he said in surprise.
Then the little boy telephoned Nan and Billy’s old master, to tell him what had happened. Soon he came running out of the house and told the two old friends:
”It’s all right. You can both stay! How wonderful, you will be good company for one another!”
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Two's Company