One day Billy Big Ears the bat was hanging around the zookeeper's office snoozing. Bats like to slumber during the day. Nothing much happened at this zoo, so Billy was surprised to be woken with a start by the telephone ringing. "Hello, City Zoo," said the keeper, smiling. The keeper's smile left his face as he listened to the person on the other end of the line. "What will become of the animals? They will have to be separated and sent off to other zoos. I hadn't realized the zoo was that badly in debt. I could never raise so much money myself!"

The keeper listened intently and then, sighing sadly, he said, "Well, I guess the zoo will have to close, then." The kind old zookeeper, not knowing Billy was in the office, put his head on the office desk and muttered to himself, "How will I ever be able to tell the animals this sad news?" Billy Big Ears silently soared through the open window of the office and rushed off to tell the other animals this shocking news.