A FAR ADVENTURE 295 



well satisfied to potter about the pens of ducks, 

 cook the meals — Shan ate entirely at home, now — 

 and be a companion to the boy. Old and bent as 

 he was, Job Midgett could do an immense amount 

 of work, without seeming to be occupied. 



''I think your suspicions about the cats are so 

 far right, ' ' the Feather Man answered, that even- 

 ing, when Shan related his trouble anew, ''that I 

 feel sure the epidemic of cats would stop if you 

 went away." 



"Went away?" repeated the boy in surprise; 

 ''where?" 



"You don't want to raise ducks all your life, I 

 suppose, do you?" the Feather Man asked, with 

 a smile. He had been the recipient of many an im- 

 patient speech on this subject. 



"No," said Shan, emphatically, "I don't!" 



"Well,'* rejoined his friend, "I don't think you 

 need to. Perhaps it would be the wisest thing for 

 you to do, though, there'll be a steady profit in it 

 from now on, and — " 



Shan interrupted him. 



"Mr. Feather Man!" he said imploringly, 

 "you've got something else to propose or you 

 wouldn't have said anything about my going 



