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.

CHAPTER XII

BILLY WHISKERS' FAMILY START FOR CHICAGO

Two weeks from the time the old crow took the message from Billy, he
delivered it to Nannie early one morning when she had just awakened
from a sound sleep on the top of a straw stack. It was her usual
resting place, for from this vantage point she could get a view of all
the country roundabout as the stack stood on the top of a high hill.
Here she spent most of her time night and day when Billy was away,
looking for him to return. From here she could see not only the
country roads, but also the railroad as well as the meadows and
woodland. Consequently from whichever direction Billy might come she
would be the first to see him. It was from this very lookout she had
seen him when he returned from his western trip, from his Panama
expedition and from across the ocean and far-away Constantinople. You
must not forget that Billy was a traveled goat.

This particular morning she awoke at sunrise, but seeing a heavy mist
hid the sun, she tried to go to sleep again as it foretold a hot day.
But just as she was dropping off to sleep, she heard a crow caw
directly over her head, and she thought it queer that the crows would
be stirring so early. Again she closed her eyes to sleep, but the call
was repeated and it sounded so much nearer than at first that she
opened her eyes once more. Lo and behold! directly in front of her on
a dead limb of a tree sat a big, black crow.

"Don't you know me, Mrs. Billy Whiskers?" cawed he.

[Illustration]

"It isn't--it _can't_ be our old friend and messenger Black Wings!"

"That is just who it is! You have good eyes, Mrs. Whiskers, to
recognize me after all these years, especially as they say I have
grown stouter."

"That you surely have, but any one having once seen your sharp, shrewd
eyes would never forget them or