he goat and I
guess he didn't want to leave him behind. Maybe he thought he could
drive him away out to Montana, to Uncle Frank's ranch."

"Maybe," agreed Bob. "That'd be a long drive, though."

"I should say so!" agreed Mrs. Newton. "But I guess you're right, Teddy.
Your little brother started off to hide the goat and wagon so you
couldn't leave it behind. He's a funny baby, all right!"

"And look how he harnessed him!" exclaimed Bob.

Nicknack really wasn't harnessed. The leather straps and the buckles
were all tangled up on him, but Trouble had managed to make enough of
them stick on the goat's back, and had somehow got part of the harness
fast to the wagon, so Nicknack could pull it along.

"I had a nice wide," said Trouble, as Bob and Teddy straightened out the
goat's harness. "Den I got s'eepy an' Nicknack he got hungry, so we
comed in here."

"And we've been looking everywhere for you!" exclaimed Mrs. Newton.
"Well, I'm glad we've found you. Come along, now. Ted, you and Bob hurry
along and tell the others. Your mother'll be worried."

And indeed Mrs. Martin was worried, especially when she met Mr. Martin
and Janet, who had not found Trouble.

But Teddy and Bob soon met with the other searchers and told them that
Baby William had been found.

"Oh, what will you do next?" cried Mrs. Martin, as she clasped the
little fellow in her arms. "Such a fright as you've given us!"

"No want Nickback to go 'way!" said Trouble.

"I guess that's what he did it for--he thought he could hide the goat so
we wouldn't leave him behind," said Daddy Martin. "But we'll have to,
just the same. Trouble won't miss him when we get out on the ranch."

So the goat and wagon were left at Bob's house, and though Trouble cried
when he realized what was happening, he soon got over it.

The next few days were filled with busy preparations toward going West.
Daddy Martin bought the tickets, the packing was completed, last visits
to their playmates were paid by Janet and Teddy, whose boy and girl
friends all said that they wished they too were going out West to a big
ranch.

"We're going to see cowboys and Indians!" Ted told everyone.

Then came the last day in Cresco--that is the last day for some time for
the Curlytops. The house was closed, Nora going to stay with friends.
Skyrocket, the dog, and Turnover, the cat, were sent to kind neighbors,
who promised to look after them. Bob had already started to take care of
Nicknack.