The main character of the book is the boy who owns Gay-Neck and lives in Calcutta as a member of the upper caste. This boy is the loving caretaker of Gay-Neck, and he patiently trains the bird to fly long distances and return home. The boy's friend, Radja, a sixteen year-old Brahmin priest, accompanies him on his adventures but plays a secondary role. Ghond, the old holy man and a teacher of jungle lore, is the main guide in the story, helping the boy interpret events and learn more about pigeons, nature, life, and the spirit.

Ghond is not without human weakness, however, and this becomes clear when he must struggle to overcome the fear that has paralyzed him.

Gay-Neck is trained to carry messages for the army, and he relates his adventures in the war zone with descriptive flair. For example, he describes...