animal heroes-第9节

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never　again　shoot；　or　allow　others　to　shoot；　our　noble　and
priceless　messengers。〃

This　took　place　while　the　banker　was　in　touch　with　the　loft；
while　his　heart　was　warm　for　the　Pigeons。　He　was　a　man　of
influence；　and　the　Pigeon　Protective　legislation　at　Albany　was
the　immediate　fruit　of　Arnaux's　exploit。


IV

Billy　had　never　liked　the　Corner…box　Blue　（2600　C）；
notwithstanding　the　fact　that　he　still　continued　in　the　ranks　of
the　Silver　Badge；　Billy　believed　he　was　poor　stuff。　The　steamer
incident　seemed　to　prove　him　coward；　he　certainly　was　a　bully。

One　morning　when　Billy　went　in　there　was　a　row；　two　Pigeons；　a
large　and　a　small；　alternately　clinching　and　sparring　all　over
the　floor；　feathers　flying；　dust　and　commotion　everywhere。　As
soon　as　they　were　separated　Billy　found　that　the　little　one　was
Arnaux　and　the　big　one　was　the　Corner…box　Blue。　Arnaux　had　made　a
good　fight；　but　was　overmatched；　for　the　Big　Blue　was　half　as
heavy　again。

Soon　it　was　very　clear　what　they　had　fought　overa　pretty　little
lady　Pigeon　of　the　bluest　Homing　blood。　The　Big　Blue　cock　had
kept　up　a　state　of　bad　feeling　by　his　bullying；　but　it　was　the
Little　Lady　that　had　made　them　close　in　mortal　combat。　Billy　had
no　authority　to　wring　the　Big　Blue's　neck；　but　he　interfered　as
far　as　he　could　in　behalf　of　his　favorite　Arnaux。

Pigeon　marriages　are　arranged　somewhat　like　those　of　mankind。
Propinquity　is　the　first　thing：　force　the　pair　together　for　a
time　and　let　nature　take　its　course。　So　Billy　locked　Arnaux　and
the　Little　Lady　up　together　in　a　separate　apartment　for　two
weeks；　and　to　make　doubly　sure　he　locked　Big　Blue　up　with　an
Available　Lady　in　another　apartment　for　two　weeks。

Things　turned　out　just　as　was　expected。　The　Little　Lady
surrendered　to　Arnaux　and　the　Available　Lady　to　the　Big　Blue。　Two
nests　were　begun　and　everything　shaped　for　a　〃lived　happily　ever
after。〃　But　the　Big　Blue　was　very　big　and　handsome。　He　could　blow
out　his　crop　and　strut　in　the　sun　and　make　rainbows
all　round　his　neck　in　a　way　that　might　turn　the　heart　of　the
staidest　Homerine。

Arnaux；　though　sturdily　built；　was　small　and　except　for　his
brilliant　eyes；　not　especially　good…looking。　Moreover；　he　was
often　away　on　important　business；　and　the　Big　Blue　had　nothing　to
do　but　stay　around　the　loft　and　display　his　unlettered　wings。

It　is　the　custom　of　moralists　to　point　to　the　lower　animals；　and
especially　to　the　Pigeon；　for　examples　of　love　and　constancy；　and
properly　so；　but；　alas　there　are　exceptions。　Vice　is　not　by　any
means　limited　to　the　human　race。

Arnaux's　wife　had　been　deeply　impressed　with　the　Big　Blue；　at　the
outset；　and　at　length　while　her　spouse　was　absent　the　dreadful
thing　took　place。

Arnaux　returned　from　Boston　one　day　to　find　that　the　Big　Blue；
while　he　retained　his　own　Available　Lady　in　the　corner…box；　had
also　annexed　the　box　and　wife　that　belonged　to　himself；　and　a
desperate　battle　followed。　The　only　spectators　were　the　two
wives；　but　they　maintained　an　indifferent　aloofness。　Arnaux
fought　with　his　famous　wings；　but　they　were　none　the　better
weapons　because　they　now　bore　twenty　records。　His　beak　and　feet
were　small；　as　became　his　blood；　and　his　stout　little　heart　could
not　make　up　for　his　lack　of　weight。　The　battle　went　against　him。
His　wife　sat　unconcernedly　in　the　nest；　as　though　it　were　not　her
affair；　and　Arnaux　might　have　been　killed　but　for　the　timely
arrival　of　Billy。　He　was　angry　enough　to　wring　the　Blue　bird's
neck；　but　the　bully　escaped　from　the　loft　in　time。　Billy　took
tender　care　of　Arnaux　for　a　few　days。　At　the　end　of　a　week　he　was
well　again；　and　in　ten　days　he　was　once　more　on　the　road。
Meanwhile　he　had　evidently　forgiven　his　faithless　wife；　for；
without　any　apparent　feeling；　he　took　up　his　nesting　as　before。
That　month　he　made　two　new　records。　He　brought　a　message　ten
miles　in　eight　minutes；　and　he　came　from　Boston　in　four　hours。
Every　moment　of　the　way　he　had　been　impelled　by　the
master…passion　of　home…love。　But　it　was　a　poor　home…coming　if　his
wife　figured　at　all　in　his　thoughts；　for　he　found　her　again
flirting　with　the　Big　Blue　cock。　Tired　as　he　was；　the　duel　was
renewed；　and　again　would　have　been　to　a　finish　but　for　Billy's
interference。　He　separated　the　fighters；　then　shut　the　Blue　cock
up　in　a　coop；　determined　to　get　rid　of　him　in　some　way。　Meanwhile
the　〃Any　Age　Sweepstakes〃　handicap　from　Chicago　to　New　York　was
on；　a　race　of　nine　hundred　miles。　Arnaux　had　been　entered　six
months　before。　His　forfeit…money　was　up；　and　notwithstanding　his
domestic　complications；　his　friends　felt　that　he　must　not　fail　to
appear。

The　birds　were　sent　by　train　to　Chicago；　to　be　liberated　at
intervals　there　according　to　their　handicap；　and　last　of　the
start　was　Arnaux。　They　lost　no　time；　and　outside　of　Chicago
several　of　these　prime　Flyers　joined　by　common　impulse　into　a
racing　flock　that　went　through　air　on　the　same　invisible　track。　A
Homer　may　make　a　straight　line　when　following　his　general　sense
of　direction；　but　when　following　a　familiar　back　track　he　sticks
to　the　well…remembered　landmarks。　Most　of　the　birds　had　been
trained　by　way　of　Columbus　and　Buffalo。　Arnaux　knew　the　Columbus
route；　but　also　he　knew　that　by　Detroit；　and　after　leaving　Lake
Michigan；　he　took　the　straight　line　for　Detroit。　Thus　he　caught
up　on　his　handicap　and　had　the　advantage　of　many　miles。　Detroit；
Buffalo；　Rochester；　with　their　familiar　towers　and　chimneys；
faded　behind　him；　and　Syracuse　was　near　at　hand。　It　was　now　late
afternoon；　six　hundred　miles　in　twelve　hours　he　had　flown　and　was
undoubtedly　leading　the　race；　but　the　usual　thirst　of　the　Flyer
had　attacked　him。　Skimming　over　the　city　roofs；　he　saw　a　loft　of
Pigeons；　and　descending　from　his　high　course　in　two　or　three
great　circles；　he　followed　the　ingoing　Birds　to　the　loft　and
drank　greedily　at　the　water…trough；　as　he　had　often　done　before；
and　as　every　pigeon…lover　hospitably　expects　the　messengers　to
do。　The　owner　of　the　loft　was　there　and　noted　the　strange　Bird。
He　stepped　quietly　to　where　he　could　inspect　him。　One　of　his　own
Pigeons　made　momentary　opposition　to　the　stranger；　and　Arnaux；
sparring　sidewise　with　an　open　wing　in　Pigeon　style；　displayed
the　long　array　of　printed　records。　The　man　was　a　fancier。　His
interest　was　aroused；　he　pulled　the　string　that　shut　the　flying
door；　and　in　a　few　minutes　Arnaux　was　his　prisoner。

The　robber　spread　the　much…inscribed　wings；　read　record　after
record；　and　glancing　at　the　silver　badgeit　should　have　been
goldhe　read　his　nameArnaux；　then　exclaimed：　〃Arnaux！　Arnaux！
Oh；　I've　heard　of　you；　you　little　beauty；　and　it's　glad　I　am　to
trap　you。〃　He　snipped　the　message　from　his　tail；　unrolled　it；　and
read：　〃Arnaux　left　Chicago　this　morning　at　4　A。M。；　scratched　in
the　Any　Age　Sweepstakes　for　New　York。〃

〃Six　hundred　miles　in　twelve　hours！　By　the　powers；　that's　a
record…breaker。〃　And　the　pigeon…stealer　gently；　almost
reverently；　put　the　fluttering　Bird　safely　into　a　padded　cage。
〃Well；〃　he　added；　〃I　know　it's　no　use　trying　to　make　you　stay；
but　I　can　breed　from　you　and　have　some　of　your　strain。〃

So　Arnaux　was　shut　up　in　a　large　and　comfortable　loft　with
several　other　prisoners。　The　man；　though　a　thief；　was　a　lover　of
Homers；　he　gave　his　captive　everything　that　could　insure　his
comfort　and　safety。　For　three　months　he　left　him　in　that　loft。　At
first　Arnaux　did　nothing　all　day　but　walk　up　and　down　the　wire
screen；　looking　high　and　low　for　means　of　escape；　but　in　the
fourth　month　he　seemed　to　have　abandoned　the　attempt；　and　the
watchful　jailer　began　the　second　part　of　his　scheme。　He
introduced　a　coy　young　lady　Pigeon。　But　it　did　not　seem　to
answer；　Arnaux　was　not　even　civil　to　her。　After　a　time　the　jailer
removed　the　female；　and　Arnaux　was　left　in　solitary　confinement
for　a　month。　Now　a　different　female　was　brought　in；　but　with　no
better　luck；　and　thus　it　went　onfor　a　year　different　charmers
were　introduced。　Arnaux　either　violently　repelled　them　or　was
scornfully　indifferent；　and　at　times　the　old　longing　to　get　away；
came　back　with　twofold　power；　so　that　he　darted　up　and　down　the
wire　front　or　dashed　with　all　his　force　against　it。

When　the　storied　feathers　of　his　wings　began　their　annual　moult；
his　jailer　saved　them　as　precious　things；　and　as　each　new　feather
came　he　reproduced　on　it　the　record　of　its　owner's　fame。

Two　years　went　slowly　by；　and　the　jailer　had　put　Arnaux　in　a　new
loft　and　brought　in　another　lady　Pigeon。　By　chance　she　closely
resembled　the　faithless　one　at　home。　Arnaux　actually　heeded　the
newcomer。　Once　the　jailer　thought　he　saw　his　famous　prisoner
paying　some　slight　attention　to　the　charmer；　and；　yes；　he　surely
saw　her　preparing　a　nest。　Then　assuming　that　they　had　reached　a
full　understanding；　the　jailer；　for　the　first　time；　opened　the
outlet；　and　Arnaux　was　free。　Did　he　hang　around　in　doubt？　Did　he
hesitate？　No；　not　for　one　moment。　As　soon　as　the　drop　of　the　door
left　open　the　way；　he　shot　through；　he　spread　those　wonderful
blazoned　wings；　and；　with　no　second　thought　for　the　latest　Circe；
sprang　from　the　hated　prison　loftaway　and　away。


V

We　have　no　means　of　looking　into　the　Pigeon's　mind；　we　may　go
wrong　in　conjuring