goat!" cried they.

And the next moment both of them sprang forward and seized the
animal by the horns.

Then began a struggle. The goat was strong. He was also excited
by the singularity of his surroundings and the suddenness of the
attack. So he showed fight, and resisted desperately. Frank and
Bob, however, clung most tenaciously to the horns which they had
seized. Backward and forward the combatants pushed and dragged one
another, with a new uproar as loud as the previous one.

In the midst of this they were interrupted by the appearance of
Uncle Moses.

The door of his room opened, and that venerable personage made his
appearance in a long night-gown, which reached to his heels, and
wearing a long, starched night-cap, which nearly touched the ceiling.

"Wal, I never!" was his ejaculation. "What's this, boys? Why,
whatever _air_ you doin' with that thar goat?"

The boys returned no answer, for they were struggling with their
enemy. By this time David and Clive made their appearance, and each
seized one of the goat's hind legs. This additional help decided
the contest. The animal was thrown down and held there, still
kicking and struggling violently.

Scarcely had they taken breath when there was another interruption.
This time it was at the outside door. A burly Italian made his
appearance there--very brown, very bearded, very dirty, and very
unsavory. For some time he stood without saying one word, staring
into the room, and fixing his eyes now on the goat as it was held
down by the boys, again on the broken furniture, and finally on
the long, and somewhat ghostly figure of Uncle Moses.

"_Santissima Madre!_"

This Was the exclamation that at last burst from the big, burly,
brown, bearded, dirty, and unsavory Italian. At this the boys looked
up, unconsciously loosening their grasp as they did so. The goat,
feeling the grasp relax, made a mighty effort, and rolled over.
Then he leaped to his feet. Then he made a wild bound to the door,
over the prostrate forms of David and Clive. The big, burly, brown,
bearded, dirty, and unsavory Italian made an effort to evade the
animal's charge. He was not quick enough. Down he went, struck full
in the breast, and away went the goat into the gallery, and down
the stairs, and so into the outer world.

CHAPTER II.

_How in the World did it get there?--A joyous Ride.--Hark! Hark!
The Dogs do bark! Beggars come to Town; some in Rags, some in Tags,
and some in