"You are three lucky young beggars, and especially Roamer," said the old dark cock, after they had come in from a short spin.

"Why?" asked Roamer.

"Because I heard the boss say the other day, he could not reckon on you - you took all the others away. I expect that is how you get your name." "Well, what are we lucky for?" asked Snip and Spider.

"Oh, the governor has selected you three youngsters for the August Young Hird Fly. He won the Old Bird Cup two years ago last Whitsuntide, when I was in the kit. We flew over eighteen hours. Guy, and it was a day! Hot? - not half; and when he knew we had won he didn't half make a fuss of us. Poor old Spotty, the hawks got him a year after, and Mealy he `got the wires' and has never flown since."

"But you're not telling us you were flying all that while, old man!" said Spider.

"Aye, we were that, and you will have to go near(y as long, or there witl be trouble in store; but shut up, here's the boss coming with a pal."

"Oh, these are the three I am flying at August. I've got the old cock with

them, as young Roamer, as I call him, is inclined to get away too far."

"I see," said his friend, "but it's time he came out of them now, don't you think?"

"Yes," said the boss, "after to-day they will be on their own." "What sort of show did they give on their trial spin?"

"Well, keep it dark, but I've got three beauties here - not much to look at, but just you handle this one" (picking up Snip).

"My word, he's great," said his friend. "Deep chest, good wing spread, and all flights up."

"This is Spider, ofl' an old flier of mine that `crashed the wires' one night. I only- breed with him now."

"He also handles well," said the visitor.

"And this is Roamer, I call him, and if he behaves himself on the day, everything will be alright."

"Well, why risk him," asked his friend, "when you have so many more to choose from?"

"I don't know," said the boss. "I am sure of the other two, and I've gone through what's left, and every time I watch them I say `not like Roamer,' and when I handle them and open their wings he beats them again - they cannot compare with Roamer's."

"Well, I wish you luck. Jones tells me he has some wonderful `stayers' this year, and I was at Brown's last weekend, and he has a topping lot. I wish my own kit had not vanished the way they did a week ago, and perhaps I should have given you all a run."

"There you are," said the old cock, "did you hear what the boss said? you're going out on your own next time. Let me give you a tip - come when he calls you, as you have seen me do when old Fanny is put out and he whistles. Also, I expect you will be parted from me now, and if you are placed in the dark, don't get `the wind up'. I thought it funny, shutting all daylight off, but it makes you appreciate it all the more when you are turned out to fly."

The old cock was taken away that night and Roamer and his mates were fed on barley with dried bread added.

Spider complained a bit at the fare, but they all grumbled at the salty water with rue tea in it.

The next night (Monday), they were given similar rations and fed at dark by a powerful lamp.

Tuesday, they grumbled because they were only three-quarters fed on barley and peas, but they appreciated the clear water.

Wednesday, at four p.m., the boss came and gave them a drink, and at five p.m., turned them out to fly.

How pleased they were to see the sun shine once more. Roamer, as they mounted, said "I'd fly just as well if we lived in daylight." But Spider answered "You are wrong, as you are going mad now you are let loose again." Snip remarked "If you don't go slower, Roamer, I shall drop out and you two can go on your own way. Ah! that's better now - keep together and we can talk as we fly."

"Do you feel hungry?" says Spider. "I am, and it's getting a bit dark; shall we go a little lower?" "Yes," said Roamer, "I thought I saw Fanny. So it is. Come on Chaps, I can hear the boss whistling."

"How long do you think we were up?" asked Roamer. "The boss said four and a half hours," said Snip, after their supper of wheat and peas, with good water to drink.

T'hursday morning, they were given a little dried bread with chopped fine egg. Spider was very greedy about it and said he could do with a drink, but did not get one.

Thursday night, wheat and peas again for supper, and nice clear water to drink.

Friday morning, no breakfast. This did not suit Spider, as he thought of the morning before, but the boss was very thoughtful and came and gave them a drink at one o'clock.

"This looks like more work," says Roamer, and sure enough, out at two they went.

It was so exhilarating after their close confinement, they went miles and nearly lost their bearings.

Snip began to blame Roamer, but he replied, "I've been a lot farther off than this. There are some rose plantations a bit further, they smell grand up here." but Spider said "I'm getting hungry and the boss will wonder where we are."

"All right," said Roamer, "if you two are returning I'll go with you. Whist! did you see that? That's a hawk - let's get above him and get home."

It was nearly dark when they got back, lucky to have missed the hawk. The boss was waiting for them with Fanny, and when he got them in, he didn't half scold them for being away such a long time. "You will have me disqualified on Monday if you go away like this," he said.

"We told you so," said Snip and Spider to Roamer, "we catch it for your wanderings, and we wonder what he would have said if he knew Jerry had been after us."

After they had finished their supper of wheat and peas, they were given a good drink of Parish's chemical food, so Spider said it was, for he evidently liked it, as he went to the pot three times.

Saturday morning, they had a breakfast of canary seed and wheat, but no water; and a supper of dried bread, canary seed, and wheat, with water to drink.

Sunday at noon, they were fed on millet seed, canary seed and wheat, with pure water to drink.

"This seems funny," says Spider, "a meal now;" but he was disappointed when he did not get one at night, nor get a drink.

Monday morning, they were roused up at half past three. My hat, what an unearthly hour!

The boss looked them over very carefully, talking to them all the while. He took the ring numbers, cleaned the birds feet, spread out their wings and looked at their eyes. Then he gave them their breakfast - bread first, then a little canary seed, then a little rice and wheat.

Snip did not want any, and was much annoyed and sulky at being woke up so early.

But Roamer said "Come on, Snip, I would not let Spider eat all. I heard the boss say we were soon going out, and you don't want to come back for breakfast, do you? or you may get your neck pulled."

If only to stop Spider having his share, Snip began to feed. Then they had a nice drink of clean water.

At five o'clock another strange man came. "What has he brought?" says Spider. "Hark at greedy," said Roamer, "he is the referee, come to take our time and sit and watch us fly."

"Yes," said Snip, "and to see you every hour, Roamer, so just you keep away from those rose gardens."

The boss tried them with another drink, and at exactly five-fifteen off they went.

A very heavy mist was hanging near the ground, and it was not long before Spider said "I am getting wet through." Roamer replied "You're sweating with over-feeding," and Snip suggested going higher. To that Spider said "We will, providing we can keep those lines in view," meaning the railway metals.

Roamer was for going to his roses, and for a time they flew very unsettled.

Down below, the boss was quite concerned and was fuming inwardly at Roamer, especially as he could see Jones' birds kitting quite close together. The referee said "What's the matter? - your birds will be down soon."

The governor said "All will be well if only the mist would rise," as it was already clearing on the brow of the hill.

They walked to the edge of the moor, and there it was clearing nicely and they could easily discern Jones' and Brown's birds going strong. Suddenly the sun won his way through, and our three settled down evidently on business.

Twelve o'clock came and Spider thought of his midday meal of yesterday; but his mates reminded him of his tuck-in first thing, and so put him off for a while.

At four o'clock, Spider was sure Fanny was out - he could see her but once more he was wrong, for one of the boss's leghorn fowls had got on the loft top, and Roamer and Snip laughed at him not knowing a fowl from a pigeon, although they all came a bit lower to see the boss dust her off.

"It's no use", said Roamer, "I am off to see those roses. Come on, you fellows, we will be back well in the time," and for a change of scenery, they went.

The boss saw them wheeling and knew what it meant; swearing what he would do at Roamer, but when they were nicely on their way, a loud buzzing noise was heard, and something big loomed up in the sky, coming from the rose fields.

Our friends had never seen such a monstrous object before, and mounted to a tremendous height, scared to death.

There they came in touch with Jones' birds, who told them it was an aeroplane, and that they had seen one before and did not like them.

Jones' birds said they had been with Brown's, and one of Brown's was

feeling sick and would have to go in.

That was about five o'clock, so they guessed they were counted out. While they were talking, they had not noticed they had come a piece lower when a strong kit of Homers rushed at them.

Now our young friends never did like this type of bird, and scattered in all directions.

Eventually Roamer and Spider got together, but poor nervous Snip got upset altogether and made off with Jones' birds.

The boss, how he did carry on. It was now seven o'clock. Brown was `out of it,' his sick bird having dropped away; and here was Jones' birds not only going strong, but got Snip with them too.

Then it was that Roamer came into his own. He was determined to see those rose gardens, and told Spider so, and it was just as if he heard his boss say "the little devil would never wander when one wanted him to."

Spider demurred at first, thinking of his supper, but at last gave way. Off they went like a shot, not too high but what could easily be followed, to have their fill of the rose-field scents.

On their way back they picked up Snip, who had just left Jones' birds. Snip was delighted at finding his pals once more and said "Jones' birds were talking of going down."

Roamer said "Don't you believe them, they will beat us if they can." It was now getting dusk when a runner came to the boss and said "Jones was uneasy, as his birds had their feet out and looked like dropping away."

Both kits had now flown fifteen hours and a half, but our young friends were going the strongest and Jones would not put his droppers out for he would have had his time taken.

Fifteen and three quarters! Poor old Snip had never been out so late, and the ground began to look terrible to him, and he began to climb. His mates said "don't be silly;" but went after him.

They wondered at the boss, and craned their necks for a glimpse of Fanny, or to hear him whistle. Would he never call them?

Jones now had one bird crashed on the slates, luckily within bounds, and the other two dropped on his cote two minutes afterwards - his time being 16 hours 5 minutes.

Roamer could just discern Jones' birds on the loft top and said "come on boys, we have won," and when they llew round again a time or two over their own loft, there was Fanny, and the boss whistling for all he was worth.

Spider wasn't half pleased. Guy, he was hungry, but poor old Snip became very nervous, and just when Roamer and Spider had about got the cote top, up he would go again, afraid to come.

It was now impossible to go far away as it was so dark and they would be lost.

Would they never get the loft? Spider suddenly made up his mind and came down 16 hours 15 minutes.

Roamer was next, but poor Snip, when he tried it the loft seemed to come up and hit him. Off he went, and the boss said "I shall never get him," and told the referee to disqualify him, but he replied "Hold on, we can see him yet." Again Roamer came to his aid, and he began playing up to Fanny. This

was too much for Snip, hearing his mate coo but scarcely seeing him, and he crashed on the loft top. They had won!

How pleased the boss was, and how he caressed them - greedy Spider, nervous Snip, and the wanderer, Roamer. He showed them to all his friends, and they had their photographs taken along with the cup. They had won, and the boss is never tired of relating their exploits of that neverto-be-forgotten day.