The Happy Hollisters and the Ghost Horse Mystery

The Happy Hollisters and the Ghost Horse Mystery — page 5
young man of eighteen with sandy hair and a big smile I’m Jim Landon the tall man said extending his hand to Indy This is Gary Dale he added indicating the boy After the visitors had introduced themselves Jim Landon took the sea gull from Pam and looked at it carefully Driven in by the storm I guess he said and exhausted that’s all With a smile he let Pam hold the bird again of the birds we colored on the coast disbelief But but it’s pink Pam said Oh sure Mr Landon said casually This is one You mean you paint sea gulls Pete asked in Yikes Tell us about it Ricky said I’ll be glad to Come in and sit down the man replied cordially He ushered them through the rear door into a large exhibit room Around the walls were cases filled with stuffed birds and on several open perches sat other birds looking very natural Sue wandered off to inspect them as the rest of the travelers listened intently to the birdman Mr Landon explained that several years before an airplane had crashed because sea gulls had been sucked into the jet engine As a result the Audubon Society was making a study of the habits of these birds We hire college students in the summer to trap and color them the man said Red green blue and yellow paint is used but the red fades to pink because of the bright sun and the salt water The dye is harmless of course