2i6 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



ing a license, would have been justified in killing 

 the cat, providing that he made sure the cat was 

 really killed, else, if it were only wounded, he 

 might come under the provisions of the code for 

 the infliction of cruelty to animals. 



The boy, however, had already learned the value 

 of exchanging the gun for the camera, and, stalk- 

 ing the cat as carefully as though he were going to 

 take a long shot at a big game animal, he snapped 

 the pose just as the big Angora cat leapt upon the 

 Bunting. The cat heard the click of the shutter, 

 as, no doubt, she had heard the approach of the 

 boy, but, being a domestic cat, and not afraid of 

 people, she went on playing with the bird. The 

 white cat against the dark background made an 

 ideal subject for photography, and Shan took two 

 more pictures. Then, content with his *'bag," he 

 returned to the cabin. 



He developed the pictures at once and, having 

 got his prints, handed one of them to Bull Adam 

 with the question, 



** Isn't this the Feather Man's big Angora cat 

 I've heard you talking about. Bull?" 



"Sure's yo' know!" answered the old man. 

 "An' him such a crank on birds! Did yo' kill it, 

 too, Shan?" 



