SANCTUARY 279 



of inches across, but it sufficed to turn a little end- 

 less chain of tiny cups which poured out a slender 

 trickle of water w^hich it raised from a well only 

 a few feet below the surface. The w^indmill be- 

 ing on the weather-cock principle, turning on a 

 pivot, it was arranged to revolve, no matter from 

 what direction the wind blew. A couple of planks 

 soaked in creosote, nailed together at an angle and 

 propped up a few feet above ground led the water 

 some twenty feet away from the clattering little 

 windmill to the bird-bath. This consisted of a 

 big flat saucer made of concrete, which Shan and 

 the Feather Man made by mixing Portland cement, 

 beach sand and gravel. This saucer was fixed on 

 the top of a stump about six feet high. Around 

 the stump was nailed a piece of slieet zinc, so that 

 cats and squirrels could not clitnb up it to take 

 the little birds at a disadvantage while their feath- 

 ers were wet. A little groove at one side allowed 

 the overflow water to pour out, thus keeping the 

 bath fresh. 



All this took time and trouble, but when it was 

 finished, the Feather Man turned approvingly to 

 the lad. 



''There," he said, "as long as the wind blows 

 and the little windmill turns, the birds for miles 



