“‘P.P.P.S. They say they are going to send this by rural free delivery, but if it’s as slow as it is back home I won’t need any help by the time it reaches you. For heaven sake, feed the birds and give them plenty of pepper, so they’ll have pep and hustle—’”
The message broke off suddenly as if the writer had been interrupted, at least that was the way the Overlanders construed it.
“Gosh a-mighty! If that ain’t the limit!” exclaimed Bindloss. “How can those birds carry money or anything else, and how will they get back where the robbers want them to go?”
Tom Gray explained that carrier pigeons carried messages in little oiled paper tubes such as these birds had on their legs, and that when released they got their direction quickly and flew straight back to their cotes.
“I know! I know,” exclaimed Bindloss. “A fellow over at Carrago had a flock of ’em, but the government took ’em over after the war started. They paid him five dollars a head for the birds, then, after the war, what was left of ’em he bought back from the government at twenty-five cents a head.”
“There’s our clue,” interrupted Hippy. “Should we fail otherwise we can find out who the pigeon man is. But I don’t reckon we shall need to do that. Folks, what is your idea?”
“I shouldn’t be in favor of paying five hundred dollars for Stacy,” objected Emma. “If they keep him long enough to get really acquainted with him they will be glad to take a bargain-counter price for him.”
Bindloss suggested that they go into the house, and Tom asked him to invite Idaho and Pete to go in with them, which was done. Sam Conifer met them on the porch, and his first question was whether or not they had heard from Jim. The situation was quickly explained to him. When informed that there was no news from the missing Jim, the guide’s whiskers drooped.
“I reckon Jim’s thar, but they wouldn’t let the boy writ ’bout it,” he exclaimed, his whiskers suddenly bristling as of old. “I’ll git ’em! They’ve played a card into my hands now!” he raged. “I’ll follow ’em now.”
“Are you going to fly, Sam?” questioned Emma. “That is the only way I know of to follow birds.”