THE "WINGED MESSENGER
"Oh! what was that? Who shot?" cried Larry, clutching his chum by the
arm.
Phil pointed to a small boy who was trying to sneak away, carrying an
old musket about half again as long as himself. He had possibly taken
advantage of the excitement to steal his elder brother's gun; and
casting about for some object upon which to exercise his ambitious
marksmanship, had sighted a hovering bird, which had instantly fallen
to his fire.
"But what makes Tony act like that?" demanded Larry.
Phil had divined the wonderful truth, even as his chum made his inquiry.
"It must have been one of his homing pigeons!" he exclaimed; "perhaps
the one that he expected to bring him news from up-river way, about the
girl in the hospital!"
"Oh! I wonder could that be so?" ejaculated Larry; and the two of them
stood there, watching and waiting for they hardly knew what, only that
into Phil's heart there seemed to have suddenly leaped a new and wild
hope.
They saw Tony lift the little feathered messenger, and stroke its
feathers, as he looked angrily around for the guilty youngster, who was
already hiding behind one of the shanties.
"Look and see if it has a message from Tom Badger!" called Phil,
himself quivering with eagerness and suspense.
Tony evidently had not thought of this at first, in his anger at having
one of his precious pets slaughtered so ruthlessly. He sent a quick
comprehending look toward his new chums, and instantly turned his
attention again to the pigeon.
Immediately Phil saw him draw some small object from the bundle of
crumpled feathers, which he began to unroll with great haste.
"It's a note from above," declared Phil, talking to himself, though
Larry was listening with both ears to what he said. "The message has
come, and just in the nick of time to save us from a mighty unpleasant
experience. I hope it holds good news for Tony and his mother."
"It does--it must, Phil!" cried Larry. "Just look at Tony dancing
around, would you? Oh! he's read something that's taken his voice
away, you know! He can't even say anything; but see how his face
talks! Phil, what d'ye think it can be?"
"Good news must mean the operation has taken place, and that it has
been a success!" replied his chum, trying to master the tremor in his
own voice, and hardly succeeding very well. "And can't you see just
what that must mean for us, Larry, old fellow? Bring it here, Tony!
Let us see what you have found!" and he beckoned to the boy while
saying this.
But Tony made first of all for his mother, who was standing there with
clasped hands, in an agony betwixt doubt and hope. No sooner though,
had her eager eyes devoured the contents of the tiny paper, than she
fell to sobbing hysterically; but every one could see that it was joy
and not grief that had caused this flow of tears from an overcharged
heart.
She started toward McGee, holding out the bit of thin paper
appealingly. McGee had been observing these several happenings with
the same dark scowl on his brow; but he seemed to understand that news
had come from the child who was so dear to him on account of her
infirmity.
"Give hit tuh Daddy, an' let hin read hit!" he spoke up, as though even
in that supreme moment something of the old doubt concerning his family
remained.
Gladly did the woman turn to the shambling old man who came forward
again. And as he bent over the tiny scrap of paper, as though
endeavoring to make out what the writing on it meant, every sound
ceased until the silence of death seemed to hover over that scene.
"Read hit out loud, Daddy!" commanded McGee, himself hardly able to
restrain his own impatience.
"Operation a complete success! Child will soon see as well as any one!
Shall bring her home myself tomorrow, and restore her to a mother's
arms.
"DOCTOR GIDEON LANCING!"
Hardly had the last word been uttered than it seemed as though a
tempest had suddenly descended upon that quiet little settlement in the
midst of the cypress swamps. Every throat joined in the terrific shout
that burst forth. Women threw their arms around one another; while
rough men went about shaking hands, and wiping suspicious moisture from
their sun-burned cheeks.
Phil and Larry whooped with the rest.
"It's all right, Larry!" cried the former, as he wrung his chum's hand
with the vehemence of enthusiastic youth. "That's the last straw that
breaks the camel's back! Even a McGee can't hold out against that
evidence of friendship! Hurrah for my dad; and hurrah for us! But I
say, Larry, it's lucky that poor little pigeon found its way home when
it did, or we might have been turned into birds ourselves."
Even Larry could afford to laugh now at the heretofore gruesome
outlook. As for Tony, he acted like one possessed; for he ran from his
mother to his new chums, and back again; still gripping the lifeless
form of the little winged messenger, as though he hardly knew what he
was doing.
McGee had gone over to his wife, and taken her in his arms. The
glorious news from above had done more to break down his iron nature
than all other things combined; nor was Phil very much amazed to see
how tenderly he soothed the mother of his children.
Then the big man strode over toward the spot where they stood; while
every one watched curiously to see what he would do, for never yet had
a man of them ever seen the mighty McGee bend the knee to any one.
"Gimme yuh hand, younker," he said, humbly enough. "I war all wrong,
an' I admits hit right now an' hyah. Yuh dad he's jest a trump; an'
w'en he kims tuh weuns' camp, thar ain't gwine tuh be a king welcomed
more heartily'n he'll be. An' Tony boy, don't yuh do nawthin' tuh thet
chile as shooted yuh bird, d'ye hyah? Ef 'twa'nt foh thet, jest see
wot I'd a-done tuh the son o' the man as hes brought light tuh the
blessed eyes o' our leetle Madge."
Again the shouts broke out. The entire settlement was mad with joy.
Women got together and talked of the wonderful things that were going
to come to pass when this benefactor fulfilled his promises, and their
homes became a positive fact, with their men working every day at big
wages, and a new life possessing the entire community.
Relieved from a terrible strain Phil and Larry began to take an
interest in the many things connected with the squatter settlement.
McGee, having thrown off his gloomy condition in the light of the happy
news, showed that he was a keensighted man. He talked business with
Phil in a way that quite pleased the boy; who felt positive that his
father would find in this leading spirit of the swamp country just the
able lieutenant he wanted, in order to make a big success of the new
undertaking.
Of course the motor boat was soon brought down from its station above.
Tony and his father accompanied the two voyagers up to get it; and
McGee manifested considerable interest in the working of the smart
little craft.
And then when on the third day there arrived a boat containing half a
dozen persons, imagine the great joy when that good mother folded to
her heart the form of the little child she had sent from her side with
such great misgivings.
Of course Phil pounced on his father, the genial physician whose name
as an oculist had long since become famous throughout the East. And as
rapidly as he could, ably assisted by Larry, he poured out the
wonderful story of their cruise, which had been brought to such a
dramatic conclusion.
McGee was not long in welcoming Doctor Lancing, and in a day the two
men seemed to understand each other thoroughly. Plans for the future
were soon under way; and after several days spent among his neighbors,
as the doctor termed those who were no longer squatters, since each
family owned a tract of land besides that upon which their cabin was
built, he again turned his face toward the north.
It might be well to say right here that things began to boom from that
day; and at present the community where McGee still holds sway is a
prosperous town, with happy homes, in which the comforts of life may be
found, as well as a few of the luxuries. Little Madge did positively
recover her sight, the bandages being removed before the departure of
the great oculist.
Tony went down with Phil and Larry to the gulf, and spent a couple of
months in their company that he would never forget. Later on he was
given a chance to attend school, and one dream of his mother's heart
was realized.
And Larry, too, learned many a useful lesson during that time, which
would be apt to help him climb the ladder as an ambitious Boy Scout,
once he found himself back in his home city.
Pete had turned up before they left for the gulf; and being supplied
with more funds by Doctor Lancing kept on his way. Later on they heard
from him in Mobile, where his family had joined him; and neither of the
two Dixie Chums ever found reason to regret that they had helped him
evade the "dawgs" of the vindictive Southern sheriff.
THE END.