“You are good little mice,” he told them, and he finally went to the wooden bed and fell asleep.

At dawn, Rudolph Leopold Nickolos Lazare was awakened by a tap, tap, tapping on the window bars.

“Why, it is a pigeon from our cow barn!” cried the farmer in delight.  “Come in, little bird, come in!”

Then Lazare saw a blue piece of paper folded and tied to the pigeon’s leg.  He quickly untied the cord, unfolded the paper, and there was a piece of charcoal wrapped in the paper.  Written on the paper were these words:

Dear Husband,

We heard of your arrest.  The boys trained the pigeon.  Although we cannot see or hear each other, there is no law that says we cannot write to each other.

We do not want you to worry.  We will get the potatoes planted as best we can.  But when, dear husband, when is the right time to plant potatoes?

Your loving wife,
Wilhelmina Lazare.

Lazare sat on the chair and thought about the note from his wife.  Then he got up and paced the floor around and around and around.  The mice followed him with puzzled looks on their faces.  The pigeon sat on the window ledge cocking his head from one side to the other.

The prisoner scribbled a note on the other side of the blue paper.  It said:

Dear Wife,

Be patient.  When the time is right,  I shall tell you when to plant.

Your husband,
Rudyleonick.