Peterson and Jacker went ahead dangling cabbages; the dog entered into the spirit of the thing with enthusiasm and worked the flock in his very best style; and so the boys of Waddy, hot, excited, very frightened of probable pursuers, but wondrously elated, swept the great drove of goats up the road in the light of the waning moon.  The pace was warm for a mile, but then, the dread of pursuit having evaporated, the marauders slowed down, and for the rest of the journey they were experienced drovers bringing down the largest lot of stock that had ever been handled by man, full of technical phrases and big talk of runs, and plains, and flooded rivers, and long, waterless spells.  It was Jacker Mack who sounded the first note of dismay.

’Jee-rusalem!  How ‘bout the toll?’

Nobody had thought of the toll-bar, and there were the big, white gates already in sight, stretching across the road, threatening to bring dismal failure upon the expedition when complete success seemed imminent.

‘Down with the fence!’ ordered the implacable Moonlighter.

In two minutes the boys had found a weak set of rails in the fence, and shortly after the goats were being driven across Wilson’s paddock, cutting off a great corner, and heading for the farmer’s gates that opened out on to the open country on which Waddy was built.  Through these gates the flock was driven with a racket and hullaballoo that set Wilson’s half-dozen dogs yapping insanely, and started every rooster on the farm crowing in shrill protestation.  Then helter-skelter over the flat the goats were swept in on the township and left to their own devices, whilst a dozen weary, dusty, triumphant small boys stole back to bed through unlatched windows and doors carefully left open for a stealthy return.

CHAPTER XI.

There was great wonder in Waddy next morning, and much argument.  Neighbours discussed the sensation with avidity.  Mrs. Sloan, uncombed and in early morning deshabille, with an apron thrown over her head, carried the news to Mrs. Justin’s back fence, and Mrs. Justin ran with it to the back fence of Mrs. McKnight, and Mrs. McKnight spread the tidings as far as the house of Steven; so the wonder grew, and families were called up at an unusually early hour, and sage opinions were thrown from side windows and handed over garden gates.  An invasion of goats had happened at Waddy, a downpour of goats, an eruption of goats:  goats were all over the place, and nobody knew whence they came or when they arrived.  Waddy’s own goats were many and various, but the invasion had quadrupled them, and goats were everywhere—­bold, hungry, predatory goats—­browsing, sleeping, battling, thieving, and filling the air with incessant pleadings.  They invaded gardens and broke their way into kitchens and larders; they assaulted children and in some cases offered fight to the mothers who went to eject them; and here and there the billies