“That’s just what I will do, Jimmy!” declared Norma, turning to her adviser for approval.
That same day, Janet brought home her prodigal pigeons for the fifth time, but this time two pairs of the ordinary kind were placed in Norma’s cote and left there to start housekeeping. When the ladder was finally removed and the girls stood smiling at the fine result of their work, and the way the pigeons would have to remain at home after this, Rachel walked across the grass.
“I’m wonderin’, Honey, how you-all is goin’ to feed dem birds, ef day is wired in dat away?”
The girls gazed at each other in blank astonishment, and Mrs. James had to sit on the inverted butter tub and laugh. No one had given a thought of how the birds were going to be fed.
Sam had started for the barn yard with the ladder, but he was suddenly recalled. He dropped the ladder to come back and see what was wrong, but Janet called out: “Bring the ladder with you.”
When he had rejoined the group, Rachel laughingly said: “Dese wise pigeon trainers done gone and forgot how to feed dem birds, Sam!”
Then her nephew laughed as loud and as long as Mrs. James had done. Still that did not solve the problem of feeding the pigeons, so Sam wiped his eyes and studied the cote from where he stood. Finally he made a brilliant suggestion.
“You hoisted dat coop like it was a fedder, and I don’t see what’s to hinder you f’om hoistin’ corn and feed to the roof and den yankin’ on the rope to turn over the tin what holds it. Let the cracked corn and other feed roll down onto the piazza floors for the pigeons to pick up.”
“That’s a great idea, but how about the drinking water?” demanded Mrs. James.
“Well, I dun’no about dat. Let someone else remember a great idee for dat,” was Sam’s reply, as if he had performed his duty in thinking of a way to settle the feed problem.