"Yes, I will," said the turkey.

"Well, then, come along," said Billy Bobtail.

So the turkey followed on after Billy Bobtail.

They went along a little way farther and met a rooster.

"c.o.c.k-a-doodle-doo!" said the rooster. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?"

"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail.

"May I go, too?" said the rooster.

"No," said Billy Bobtail.

"Yes, I will," said the rooster.

"Well, then, come along," said Billy Bobtail.

So the rooster followed on after Billy Bobtail.

They went along a little way farther and met a hen.

"Cut-cut-cut-cut-ka-dat-cut!" said the hen. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?"

"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail.

"May I go, too?" said the hen.

"No," said Billy Bobtail.

"Yes, I will," said the hen.

"Well, then, come along," said Billy Bobtail.

So the hen followed on after Billy Bobtail. And there they were,--first Billy Bobtail and then the bull and then the goat and then the sheep and then the pig and then the dog and then the cat and then the turkey and then the rooster and then the hen,--all following on after Billy Bobtail. On and on they walked. All day long they traveled; and, just as it began to grow dark, they came to a deep, deep wood. It looked so dark that Billy Bobtail almost felt afraid. "Never mind!" said he, "if anything tries to hurt us, I can whistle and throw stones."

"And I can bellow and hook," said the bull.

"And I can b.u.t.t and bleat," said the goat.

"And I can b.u.t.t and bleat," said the sheep.

"And I can squeal and bite," said the pig.

"And I can bark and bite," said the dog.

"And I can mew and scratch," said the cat.

"And I can gobble," said the turkey.

"And I can crow," said the rooster.

"And I can cackle," said the hen.

"Very well," said Billy Bobtail; "I think we shall be quite safe."

So on they went through the wood; but suddenly they heard a crashing and trampling in the underbrush and then a savage growl, as of some great wild creature about to rush upon them.

Billy Bobtail began to whistle and throw stones.

The bull began to bellow.

The goat began to bleat.

The sheep began to bleat.

The pig began to squeal.

The dog began to bark.

The cat began to mew.

The turkey began to gobble.

The rooster began to crow.

The hen began to cackle.

And they all made such a noise that the creature, whoever he was, was so frightened that he ran away as fast as his legs could carry him, never even once stopping to look back.

Soon Billy Bobtail and his friends came to a clearing--a place in the wood where the trees had all been cut away. Right in the middle of this clearing stood a little house.

"What a fine place for us to stay in all night," said Billy Bobtail, for it was now almost dark.

"But suppose the people are not friendly?" said the bull, thinking of the savage creature that they had just frightened away.

"I will go and peep in at the window and find out," said the cat. "I can walk softly on my four cushions, and with my green eyes I can see in the dark."

So the cat crept to the window of the little house, and peeped in.

Soon she came back and said, "There is no one at home, and it does not look as if anyone had lived here for a long, long time."

When Billy Bobtail and his friends went inside the little house they found it very comfortable.

"Hurrah! I shall sleep in the bed," said Billy Bobtail.

"Bow, wow, wow! I shall sleep under the bed," said the dog, "and guard my master."

"Wee, wee!" said the pig, "I shall sleep in the oven where it is nice and warm."