Having released the birds, Mr. Green did not waste any time. He drove off home immediately. Mrs. Williams, Miss Gordon and the Brownies followed, but at a more leisurely rate.
“Can’t we drive faster?” Vevi urged impatiently.
“Not on this curving road,” Mrs. Williams replied. “We’ll be there soon enough.”
The pigeons had started to arrive by the time the Brownies finally reached Mr. Green’s place.
As the girls alighted from the car, they saw a gray-blue bird winging in to alight on the rooftop.
Vevi watched it fall into the trap and disappear. Then she ran to the door of the dove cote.
“Has Snow White come yet?” she shouted to the loft owner.
“Not yet,” Mr. Green replied. “Only three of the birds have come so far. I’m very busy now. Don’t bother me.”
Through the windows, the Brownies could see the loft owner seizing each bird as it arrived. He would record its number and exact time in a little book.
“Where is Snow White?” Vevi fretted as one after another of the pigeons arrived.