Chums in Dixie | Page 6

day; but yuh see they run me
out. But I gotter a chanct to fix it all up. Madge, she's stoppin' at the
cabin o' a man dad used to know. His name is Badger, an' he's got a boy
Tom, jest my age."

"That's nice now," remarked Phil, taking a hand in the talk. "And is she
going to stay there till this Northern eye doctor arrives, to perform the
operation?"
"Yep; but mam guv me the money to let her into the horspittal, so she
c'n stay thar, and be looked arter till she's well. Mam sets a heap of
store by Madge; an' dad too, I reckon. They ain't gwine to sleep much
till they knows whether the operation pans out right or not."
"But how will you know, now that you have been chased out of town?"
asked Larry. "Perhaps this Tom Badger will go down the river to carry
the news?"
"Shucks, no," said the other, with a flash of pride coming over his thin
face; "I fixed that up all right. He's gwine to send a message to weuns
just as soon as he knows what's what; and we'll git the news sure inside
o' a few hours."
"But say, you don't mean to tell me there's a telegraph station in the
swamps?" ejaculated the astonished Larry.
"Nope," replied Tony, instantly. "Jest a pigeon. Tom, he knows how to
write, and he's gwine to tuck a little letter under the wing o' the bird I
fetched up."
"A carrier pigeon, you mean!" cried Larry. "Why, how fine you
planned it, Tony. Just to think of it, having the news flashed straight
home, over miles and miles of swamps. But what if a hawk got your
bird, what then?"
"I tuck up three of 'em, so's to make sure," Tony made answer. "He
promised to set 'em all free one after t'other, and each carryin' the news.
So you see, sah, one of 'em's jest bound to sure git home."
"But see here, where under the sun did you ever get carrier pigeons?
That's the last thing I'd expect to find away down in the Florida
swamps," Phil asked.

"A man in Pensacola, as knowed my mam afore she married dad, sent a
pair home to her last time they took shingles down thar, which was a
year back. I made a coop foh the birds an' they hatched out a heap o'
young uns. These hyah three is the pick o' the flock; an' I sure has
hopes o' seein' one of 'em right soon after Tom he starts 'em loose."
"Well, you've interested me a heap," declared Larry. "Why, it's just like
a story, you see. The good doctor comes, restores the sight to your
sweet little sister's eyes; and then the glorious news is flashed home by
a dove of peace and good tidings. Of course it'll be good news, Tony.
Didn't the dove bring that kind back to old Noah in the ark? I'm awful
glad you just happened to hit our boat when you wanted some place to
hide. Why, I wouldn't have missed meeting you for a whole lot. Have
you had anything to eat this morning, Tony?"
When he learned that their guest was really hungry, Larry immediately
started to get something going. He drew out a little square black tin box;
this, on being opened disclosed a brass contrivance which turned out to
be a German Jewel kerosene gas stove. This was quickly started, and
began a cheery song, as though inviting a kettle to accept of its genial
warmth.
Evidently the swamp boy had never in all his life seen anything like
this, to judge from the way he gazed. Nor had he ever scented coffee
that had the aroma such as was soon filling the air about them; for he
could not help sniffing eagerly every little while, to the secret
amusement of Larry.
All this while the boat had been speeding down the narrow but deep
stream. Phil could look after the wheel and the engine at the same time;
though as a rule he depended on his chum to stand in the bow, and
warn him of any floating log or snag, such as might play the mischief
with the cedar sheathing of the modern motor boat.
When Larry announced that lunch was ready Phil slowed down, and
presently came alongside the bank, at a place where a cable could be
warped around a convenient tree. For, since they were in no particular
hurry, they did not feel that it was necessary to keep on the move while

eating.
Larry had heated up a mess of Boston baked beans. Besides this they
had some soda biscuits which had been purchased from a woman in the
town;