get the quills," he told his cousin. "Go into the
chicken yard and look for two long goose feathers. Tom Mason, you can
go in the kitchen and ask Dinah for a piece of tissue paper and a spool
of silk thread."

Each boy started off to fulfill his commission, not knowing exactly
what for until all came together in the barnyard again.

"Now, Bert," went on Harry, "write very carefully on the slip of paper
the message for Martha. Have you a soft pencil?"

Bert found that he had one, and so following his cousin's dictation he
wrote on one slip:

"Have dinner ready at five." And on the other he wrote: "John, come for
us at four."

"Now," continued Harry, "roll the slips up fine enough to go in the
goose quills."

This was done with much difficulty, as the quills were very narrow, but
the task was finally finished.

"All ready now," concluded Harry, "to put the letters in the box," and
very gently he tied with the silken thread one quill under the wing of
each pigeon. Only one feather was used to tie the thread to, and the
light quill, the thin paper, and the soft silk made a parcel so very
small and light in weight that the pigeons were no way inconvenienced
by the messages.

"Now we'll put them in this basket, and they're ready for the picnic,"
Harry announced to his much interested companions. Then all started for
the house with Harry and the basket in the lead.

John, the stableman, was at the door now with the big hay wagon, which
had been chosen as the best thing to take the jolly party in.

There was nice fresh hay in the bottom, and seats at the sides for the
grown folks, while the little ones nestled in the sweet-smelling hay
like live birds.

"It's like a kindergarten party," laughed Nan, as the "birds' nests"
reminded her of one of the mother plays.

"No, 'tain't!" Freddie corrected, for he really was not fond of the
kindergarten. "It's just like a picnic," he finished.

Besides the Bobbseys there were Tom Mason, Jack Hopkins, and August
Stout, friends of Harry. Then, there were Mildred Manners and Mabel
Herold, who went as Nan's guests; little Roy Mason was Freddie's
company, and Bessie Dimple went with Flossie. The little pigeons kept
cooing every now and then, but made no attempt to escape from Harry's
basket.

It was a beautiful day, and the long ride through the country was
indeed a merry one. Along the way people called out pleasantly from
farmhouses, for everybody in Meadow Brook knew the