THE OLD CROW CARRIES A MESSAGE TO NANNIE
After the Chums had rested and had a bath in a nearby lake, they lay
down in a nice shady place to plan what they would do next.
"I think the first thing I should do," said Billy, "is to send a
message to Nannie that the three of us are alive and well and are on
our way to the old farm, and to ask her, Billy Junior, Daisy and the
Twins to start for Chicago, where we will meet them in Lincoln Park as
soon as we get there. It will take them as long to come the short
distance from Fon du Lac to Chicago as it will take us to travel all
the way from New York State, as they will have to travel slower,
having the Twins with them. Besides, Nannie is not so young as she was
and cannot stand the hardships of a hurried trip. I don't believe
there is a carrier pigeon within a hundred miles of here to take my
message, so I think I shall have to entrust it to the crows. There are
crows in every State, and they are very reliable messengers and travel
fast. One crow need not go all the way. One can carry it to the border
of New York State, say, and there give it to another crow in
Pennsylvania, and so on until it reaches my people in Fon du Lac,
Wisconsin. If they get to Lincoln Park before we do, it is a fine
place to wait as they can visit with the wild animals and get all the
grass they want to eat in the Park, and all the water they want to
drink and bathing too in Lake Michigan, which is on the east side of
the Park. Now you fellows keep your eyes open for crows."
"I don't think we will see any around here," said Stubby, "as there is
nothing they like to eat on the shores of this lake. We better find
some cornfield, as we shall be sure to find plenty of crows there."
[Illustration]
So the three got up and trotted along until they came to a cornfield.
And sure enough, the first thing they saw was a big, black crow
sitting on a scarecrow as unafraid as if it had been a tree. On seeing
this, Billy exclaimed,
"That is the crow for me! He has no fear and will let nothing turn
him from his way. I am going to ask him to carry the message."
[Illustration: "Aren't you ashamed of yourself to take the baby's
bottle away from it!" reproved Nannie
(Page 128)]
Saying this, Billy jumped the fence that encircled the cornfield, and
approached the crow.
Crows not being afraid of animals, the old fellow on the scarecrow did
not stir as Billy approached, but when he was within twenty feet of
him, the crow cawed out:
"Well, I never! If this isn't my old friend Billy Whiskers! And how do
you come to be away down East, when I met you away out West years
ago?"
"You don't mean to tell me that you are Black Wings, that saucy dandy
who carried a message for me once from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Fon du
Lac, Wisconsin?" gasped Billy.
"I surely do! I am that very crow, only no longer young or dandified."
"From your looks I should say the world had treated you fine," said
Billy.
"Look who is here--Stubby and Button, the same traveling companions
you had with you in the West!" exclaimed the crow in astonishment.
"Fellows, hurry your bones and see who is here," baaed Billy to Stubby
and Button.
"Don't tell me it is Black Wings!" barked Stubby, while Button
meowed, "You have grown portly since I saw you last, and are much more
eatable looking than you were then, though you looked very good to me
that day I was starving and tried to catch you to eat." And they all
laughed, for once Button had nearly caught Black Wings, but he proved
too quick for the half starved cat and flew up in a cactus plant and
cawed and scolded Button. Afterwards they became good friends, and
Black Wings carried a message to Nannie telling her that Billy, Stubby
and Button would be back at the old farm on Billy's birthday. They had
met the crow on the desert near Salt Lake City, and he had flown over
them and showed them where there was an oasis on the desert, affording
food and water that was not alkaline. After which he carried the
message straight to Nannie without a relay as he was going East and
said he would as soon go to the old farm as anywhere else.
"I should be delighted to carry another message for you. I always like
to do a friend a favor when I can. Besides, I should enjoy seeing your
sweet wife, handsome son and cunning grandchildren again. I shall
never forget the rousing party they gave me, and the amount of corn I
ate that night. I really ate so much I thought my skin would burst.
Now what is the message you wish me to take this time? And I suppose
you are in a tearing hurry as you usually are?"
"No; this time I am in no hurry at all, as there will be plenty of
time for you to go there and get back before we can possibly reach
Chicago. All I wish you to do is to go to the farm you went to before
and tell Nannie that we three Chums have returned from the War safe
and sound and without losing an eye or a leg, and for her to meet us
in Chicago. Ask her too to bring as many of the family with her as she
can induce to come, and for them to meet us in Lincoln Park as it is
the safest and most comfortable place I can think of for them to wait
for us. And also tell her to allow a month for us to get there as we
might be captured and shut up somewhere for a time. But it will be
only for a time; no one could keep us long."
"Now if you fellows would like, I can show you an easy road to travel
that will take you to Chicago by the shortest and quickest route. Do
you see that line of telegraph poles the other side of this field?
Well, just follow them until you come to the first town. When you get
there, leave them and follow the railroad. It will take you straight
into Chicago, but be careful you don't get on a side track when going
through some of the cities and towns where many railroads meet. All
the way along you will find good friends and farmhouses where you can
rest and get something to eat. I see a man with a gun coming this way.
He has not seen us yet, but he soon will, so I guess we better say
good-by and separate."
Bing, bing, bang! and a shot went clear through the crown of the old
straw hat on the scarecrow where the crow had just been sitting.