Ha Ha Comics #25

In a whimsical twist on pirate lore, Izzy and Dizzy encounter a mysterious parrot named Salty who claims Captain Kidd was no true pirate—just a sissy who never made anyone walk the plank. When the duo challenges Salty’s story, they’re whisked back to the pirate’s ship by a magic lamp, only to find themselves trapped aboard with the very captain they’re trying to prove was a coward.

Preston Blair, inspired by a self-help book promising to make people do what you want, tries out a "unique and different way of smiling" to get ahead—first charming a passing girl, then getting free meals at a café, and even winning a horse’s loyalty with kindness. As his confidence grows, he heads to work ready to demand a raise, only to find his new "success" comes with a twist he didn’t expect.

Homing Horatio, a young pigeon, goes missing after being sent to the store for bird seed, leaving his mother, Mrs. Homing Pigeon, frantic. When he’s finally found in New York, he explains he was lost and had been trying to return home—only to be mistaken for a troublemaker at the zoo. Now determined to never lose him again, Mrs. Homing Pigeon sets out to train him, but his first attempts at navigation lead to more confusion, including a bizarre detour involving a blind mole and a string tied to another pigeon.