admit that he himself had shot the Homer, but did so in behalf of
a poor sick neighbor who craved a pigeon-pie.

There were tears in the wrath of the pigeon-man. "My bird, my
beautiful Arnolf, twenty times has he brought vital messages,
three times has he made records, twice has he saved human lives,
and you'd shoot him for a pot-pie. I could punish you under the
law, but I have no heart for such a poor revenge. I only ask you
this, if ever again you have a sick neighbor who wants a
pigeon-pie, come, we'll freely supply him with pie-breed squabs;
but if you have a trace of manhood about you, you will never,
never again shoot, or allow others to shoot, our noble and
priceless messengers."

This took place while the banker was in touch with the loft,
while his heart was warm for the Pigeons. He was a man of
influence, and the Pigeon Protective legislation at Albany was
the immediate fruit of Arnaux's exploit.


IV

Billy had never liked the Corner-box Blue (2600 C);
notwithstanding the fact that he still continued in the ranks of
the Silver Badge, Billy believed he was poor stuff. The steamer
incident seemed to prove him coward; he certainly was a bully.

One morning when Billy went in there was a row, two Pigeons, a
large and a small, alternately clinching and sparring all over
the floor, feathers flying, dust and commotion everywhere. As