THE SPOKI OP PIGEON-rLYING. 



formed me that if I took any interest in flying matches, a 

 " first-rate " one was coming off in the morning, and that if I 

 liked to come ixp to his house I was welcome to a seat on the 

 roof thereof to witness the start and the return. 



The start was a tame affair, and consisted merely of the 

 owners of the pigeons setting out from the " Bald Pye " with 

 their birds, attended by a troop of tattered bird-gamesters, 

 Prom Highgate-hiU home were the terms of the match — 

 " hoTofi " being a dormer adjoining Mr. Stickle's. One of the 

 contending birds belonged to a gentleman named Tinker, the 

 other to " PhU." Phil what, didn't transpire. 



As the time approached at which the birds were expected to 

 return, Mr. Stickle and I mounted his dormer. Presently a 

 triumphant shout from the man on the opposite roof an- 

 nounced the coming of at least one of the birds. 



" Here he comes !" roared Mr. Tinker; " I knows him ; here 

 he comes, and the other ain't no-wheres ! " 



Yes, there he came, fair and promising enough, till he got 

 within a few yards of his home, and then in the coolest and 

 most aggravating way, he settled on a neighbouring chimney 

 stack. 



" The appearance of Mr. Tinker's face at this moment was 

 terrible. He fairly champed his teeth together, and wagged 

 his head at the refractory ' skinnem ' till his hair was like a 

 trundled mop. He clenched his great fists, and sparred at the 

 little pigeon, as though it were a man. Finally, as the shout- 

 ing of Phil's friends smote his ears, ' Here comes Phil's I Phew- 

 phew-whew-whew ! here she comes ! ' he caught up a brick 

 that was lying handy, and flung it at the ' skinnem ' with all 

 his might. 



" The cruel act was more successful in its results than he 

 deserved it should have been. The ' skinnem ' rose to avoid 

 the missile, wheeled round, and then settled within a foot of 

 Mr. Tinker's head. 



" Grabbing at it eagerly, that gentleman disappeared down 

 the trap ; and the next moment, peeping over the coping of the 

 house, we saw hi-m skimming down the street, the pigeon in his 

 cap, and the cap in his mouth, and his long coat tail spread 

 abroad like wings. At the same moment, Philip, with his cap 

 in his hand, dodged out of a side street. Tinker, iowever, had 

 the advantage, and spurred to his utmost speed by the sight of 

 his approaching rival, he dashed over the threshold of the Bald 

 Pye, winning the match by rather more than two seconds." 



397 



