Chapter 13

Market Spy

Even at 6 o’clock in the morning, the market was busy. Rows and rows of stalls. Bird noises everywhere. Beak pecking. Wings fluttering. The smell of birds and animals of all kinds. Stalls were being set up.Trucks were being unpacked. Regular sellers knew the routine, but casuals got in the way.

Crates of poultry were stacked on tables and on the ground. Sellers called out, but I was hard to work out what they were saying. The words joined together like a chain of sound.

‘How will I ever find Serena?’ muttered Art.’We’ve only got a few minutes .Where are India and Mario?’

All night, Art had dreamed of doves flying. Sometimes the doves were taking photos of the people. Sometimes the people were taking photos of the doves.

‘Hey, Mario! There you are. Sorry I’m late. I slept through my alarm.’

I got your message.’ Mario looked around. ‘Con is the only one I know. He’s one of my cousins. He’s the market superintendent. I’ll ask him.’

If Sam was telling the truth, then Serena, the crested featherfoot fantail pigeon was in the area. Now he just had to find her before the wedding at 3 o’clock. That meant he needed the help of India and Mario’s family.

‘Mars Bar, thanks for helping.’ Art said awkwardly. ‘Let’s hurry.’

Mario was interested in the reward but Art didn’t know that.

‘Don’t worry. You’ll pay me back later. Or else!’

Mario had a big family. Several of them had stalls at the market. It would be quicker if Mario asked them about the missing fantail. ‘Sam the Photo Fantasy man said she’d be here. Serena was in his studio before. He even photographed her .’

‘How do you know that?’

‘You know how he was filling in for his partner Bill, taking our school photos?’

‘No,’ said Mario.

‘Well, if you’d listen,’ Art was exasperated. ‘I’ll tell you.’

India was dragging Tiny. ‘Hurry up. We’re supposed to be at Dog DIS -obedience classes this morning. But we’ll help look for Serena first, Art.’

‘Thought they were called obedience classes?’ said Mario.

Only for other dogs. Tiny is different.’

‘Let’s hurry,” Art was losing his cool. He felt bad about sleeping in. His chest was beginning to hurt and his breathing was getting hard. He was so close to finding Serena. But he did need their help. The market closed in an hour.

‘Okay. But I’ll have to bring tiny with me,’ India insisted.

Art wasn’t sure if there was a law against dogs like Tiny bounding up the aisles between the birds. But it was too late to find out. Tiny moved so fast he was dragging India.

‘Hey! Get that dog out of here.’

They did try. But Tiny had seen a chicken fluttering in the corner. He bounded over to it.

‘Tiny!’ called India who was dragged along with him.

But Tiny was having fun. He poked his nose into the bundle of feathers. The feathers started running and so did Tiny.

Art grabbed for the leash which India was trying to hold. Tiny kept moving up the aisle between the stalls. So did India and Art. Art’s sneakers couldn’t get a grip on the slippery ground. All around them, bird owners were yelling.

‘Hey. Tiny!’

‘Sit down!’ screamed India. ‘Sit!’

Suddenly Tiny skidded to a stop. His back legs acted like brakes. He panted. The chicken had reached the safety of the open cage.

‘Good boy!’ panted India. The bird noises increased. Bird heads poked out of crates. Beaks opened and closed.

‘Cheep. Cheep. Cheep.’

‘Get that dog out of here,’ warned a stall owner. ‘Out!’

Dogs for sale were already in cages. So were geese, ducks and even guinea pigs. If Tiny wasn’t carefully, he’d be…’

The three children dragged Tiny away.

‘Good boy,’ India patted Tiny.

‘What’s good about tiny doing that?’ Mario watched. ‘He nearly frightened that chicken to death.’

‘He only knows how to do two things: sit and drop. If you say anything, he knows he’s got a fifty percent chance of being right.’

‘Sell him then,’ said Mario.

“No way,’ said India. ‘He’s mine, unfortunately.’

Crossly, Art panted, ’We’re trying to find Serena, not train Tiny. We’ve got to check every stall…quickly.’

Just then, a voice boomed over the loudspeaker.

‘This message is for the owner of car number plate ECP 007. You’ve left your lights on.’

‘Dumb thing to do. Gives you a flat battery.’ said Mario. Happened to Grandad’s truck once.’

‘I know,’said Art.’ The announcement had given him an idea.

Panting, Art glanced at his watch.

There were rows and rows of birds in crates. And there were lots of aisles but not all had birds. Geese hissed. Ducks quacked. Pigeons cooed.Even the rabbits looked out at passersby.

They wouldn’t have time to look at every bird. They might not even have time to find Serena before the market sellers packed up.

‘Sam told me that Bill gave Serena to a guy who comes to the market. He brings lots of different birds. The man was going to sell Serena.’

‘How did Sam get her?’ asked India.

‘Long story. I’ll tell you later.’

‘So many different kinds of birds. Let’s look for someone selling doves,’ decided India ‘Is there one aisle for doves?’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘You start. I’ve got a faster way.I’ve got to do something.’ Art raced off towards the market office.

‘Hey!’ called India. ‘What do we do when we find Serena?’

‘Pigeon-nap her,’ suggested Mario.’ Before she’s sold.’

‘Meet Con. He’s my cousin. He runs the market office.’ Con was very large and helpful. Arm muscles under his cream and brown uniform stood out like balloons.’Need some help with finding a bird, young Mario?’ He gave a big laugh.

“Yeah. M’friend Art does.’

Art explained about Serena. Then he asked Con for a favour.

‘No worries,’ said Con. ‘Just come into the office.’

Soon the loudspeakers boomed again.

‘Another message. Would anyone with a crested featherfoot fantailed pigeon for sale today please contact the market office. We have an interested party here.’

‘An interested party.What does that mean?’ muttered India as Art came out of the office.

‘Me. I hope he comes,’ Art felt for his puffer. His breathing was getting hard again. He took some deep breaths.

‘How can Serena be sold if she was stolen?’

‘Found not stolen. But Sam didn’t try very hard to find the owner.’

‘Is it a bit like a lost wallet you hand in to the police station? If no one claims it after a while, you can have it,’ suggested India.

Just then, a little man hurried up to the market office. On his arm was a fantail pigeon.

‘Excuse me. Are you the one interested in buying a fantail?’

‘Not exactly,’ confessed Art. ‘But I want to look at her.’

‘Do you know about this bird? ‘ asked Con.

‘The lad claims the bird is called Serena and belongs to Mr. Snip-pets. Let me have a look.’

Con looked at the bird. She was white and beautiful. He checked her neck and her feet.

‘Er ... I think this could be her,’ said Art.’ She’s er…crested.’

‘Is she a featherfoot?’ asked India

‘Yes,’ said Art. ‘Look at the feathers on her legs. And she’s got a little white band. Mr.Snip-pets told me he put that on.’

‘ome pigeons have bands for identification. Who did you buy her from?’ Con asked the little man sternly.

‘I ... er ... we didn’t.’

‘Then she isn’t yours to sell.’

‘My friends found her. They fed her. They looked after her.’

‘Who are ‘they”?’

‘Bill and his partner Sam. They’re photographers.’

‘How did they get the bird?’ asked Con sternly.

‘I don’t know. They just told me to sell it as one of a pair, ’said the little man unhappily. ‘If I’d known there would be such a fuss, I would have said no.’

Art interrupted.’I think I know what happened.’

‘What?’ asked Con.

‘Sam was taking outside photos for the advertising agency. They were doing an advertisement to go into a magazine. They hired a lot of animals and birds. All actors.’

‘Why?’ asked Mario.

‘Was it a pet food advertisement?’ asked India.

Art nodded. ‘But when they packed up, there was an extra one. This bird. No one else wanted to look after it. So Sam took it home overnight.’

Then Art explained what had happened to Serena on the day after the training flight.

After Mr. Snip-pets released her, she started to fly home.

Up to about three kilometers from home, birds can remember the area. Beyond that, they sometimes forget. Serena saw other birds eating food on the ground. She must have been hungry so she flew down and joined them. These birds were hired from Animal Actors ,a company which supplied animals for TV commercials and advertisements. When the person who looked after the pets packed them up to go home, she found there was an extra bird.

‘Serena,’ suggested India.

‘Right,’ agreed Art.

The animal and bird keeper was in a hurry, and so when Sam offered to look after the extra bird, she let him.

Sam took Serena back to the studio.

‘That’s where I saw the clues,’ explained Art. ‘Bird droppings. On the floor and on the phone.’

‘How did they happen?’

‘Well, she’d just been fed. And just for fun, he took a few shots of her inside. Sam likes unusual shots. Part of his business is to take fantasy photos.’

‘What are they?’ asked India.

‘Photographs of people doing things they’ve always wished for. He used Serena in a few photographs.’

‘What happened then?’

Because she made a mess in the studio, he couldn’t keep her there. Bill, his partner, said the bird had to go. Bill heard about the bird market form his friend. So the friend brought Serena here. ‘

‘But she didn’t belong to him.’

‘Bill didn’t worry about that. But Sam did. He felt guilty. His share of the photo business isn’t going too well because he takes too long to set up shots. So he owes Bill a lot. He couldn’t complain.’

‘Why did he tell you all this?’ India was curious.

‘Because I found another clue.’ Art couldn’t stop smiling. When the bits fitted together, it was great being a sleuth. Mario, India, Con and the little man stood in a semi-circle,listening. Behind them were the birdy noises and smells of the market. A goose hissed loudly.

‘What was the clue?’

‘There was a photo of a fantail pigeon on his wall. The photo had just been developed. He had dates on his work. So I knew it had been done in the last couple of days.’

Con’s muscles bulged as he smoothed the feathers on the fantail pigeon. Serena cooed.

‘Perhaps I’ll take care of this bird,’ said Con. “It can stay with me until Monday. Then I’ll contact your Mr. Snip-pets.’

‘Do what you like,’ said the little man. ‘Been more trouble than it’s worth. You can have the pair if you like too, except the other one’s a blind racer. Another mate was trying to get rid of him. Didn’t want others breeding from him.’ He scuttled away.

‘Er ... excuse me Con. Serena had to go to a wedding. This afternoon!’ Art explained how important it was for Mr. Snip-pet’s business that Serena went to the wedding.

Con agreed.

Then Mario interrupted. ‘I’ll take Serena to Mr. Snip-pet’s now if you like. It’s on my way home now.’

Serena cooed again.

India glanced at her watch.’Oh no! We’re late for Disobedience Class. Come on, Tiny. Let’s run!’

‘Where is Serena? Where is Serena?’ the voice sounded like Mr. Snip-pets.

Mario turned quickly.

The sulphur -crested cockatoo screeched again. Then the white bird flapped its wings.

‘Where is Serena?’

‘Here,’ said Mario firmly. ‘I’ve brought Serena with me.’

‘What?’ Mr. Snip-pets came quickly from the back of the shop. He was dressed up in dark suit with a rainbow bow- tie. ‘I was just getting ready for the wedding.’

‘I ... er ... we found her,’ said Mario. ‘At the poultry and pet market.’

‘Serena,’ Mr.Snip-pets took the bird tenderly. Serena cooed.’What a clever bird to find your way home. Let’s tidy you up. The cage is ready with the bows and ribbons. Somehow I knew you’d be back on time.’

Mario felt left out. After all, he’d discovered Serena. With a little bit of help from Art. And then there was his cousin Con. He’d helped too.

But Mr. Snip-pets was too busy grooming his crested feather foot fantail pigeon to fly at the wedding.