Lab
Library
Journal
Shop
Sign in
to keep
1
208
Animal Heroes
·
Ernest Thompson Seton
46
II
The
training
of
the
birds
went
on
after
this
at
regular
times.
The
distance
from
home,
of
the
start,
was
"jumped"
twenty-five
or
thirty
miles
farther
each
day,
and
its
direction
changed
till
the
Homers
knew
the
country
for
one
hundred
and
fifty
miles
around
New
York.
The
original
fifty
birds
dwindled
to
twenty,
for
the
rigid
process
weeds
out
not
only
the
weak
and
ill-equipped,
but
those
also
who
may
have
temporary
ailments
or
accidents,
or
who
may
make
the
mistake
of
over-eating
at
the
start.
There
were
many
fine
birds
in
that
flight,
broad-breasted,
bright-eyed,
long-winged
creatures,
formed
for
swiftest
flight,
for
high
unconscious
emprise,
for
these
were
destined
to
be
messengers
in
the
service
of
man
in
times
of
serious
need.
Their
colors
were
mostly
white,
blue,
or
brown.
They
wore
no
uniform,
but
each
and
all
of
the
chosen
remnant
had
the
brilliant
eye
and
the
bulging
ears
of
the
finest
Homer
blood;
and,
best
and
choicest
of
all,
nearly
always
first
among
them
was
little
Arnaux.
He
had
not
much
to
distinguish
him
when
at
rest,
for
now
all
of
the
band
had
the
silver
anklet,
but
in
the
air
it
was
that
Arnaux
showed
his
make,
and
when
the
opening
of
the
hamper
gave
the
order
"Start,"
it
was
Arnaux
that
first
got
under
way,
soared
to
the
height
deemed
needful
to
exclude
all
local
influence,
divined
the
road
to
home,
and
took
it,
pausing
not
for
food,
drink,
or
company.
Notwithstanding
Billy's
evil
forecasts,
the
Big
Blue
of
the
Corner-box
was
one
of
the
chosen
twenty.
Often
he
was
late
in
returning;
he
never
was
first,
and
sometimes
when
he
came
back
hours
behind
the
rest,
it
was
plain
that
he
was
neither
hungry
nor
thirsty,
sure
signs
that
he
was
a
loiterer
by
the
way.
Still
he
had
come
back;
and
now
he
wore
on
his
ankle,
like
the
rest,
the
sacred
badge
and
a
number
from
the
roll
of
possible
fame.
Billy
despised
him,
set
him
in
poor
contrast
with
Arnaux,
but
his
owner
would
reply:
"Give
him
a
chance;'soon
ripe,
soon
rotten,'
an'
I
always
notice
the
best
bird
is
the
slowest
to
show
up
at
first."
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
