298 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



know what to say. You don't necessarily gain 

 anything by going, you have no official position 

 and it will be a tremendous expense, more, far 

 more, than you Ve any right to spend on a trip, or 

 a holiday. All that is true. 



*'0n the other hand," he continued, balancing 

 the two issues upon his forefingers, "upon the 

 other hand, it's an exceedingly good opportunity 

 for you to see the world under very pleasant 

 auspices, it puts you in touch with men who are 

 really doing the big bird work of the country, and 

 it gives you a chance to show what you can do in 

 bird photography. It would be a feather in your 

 cap, Shan, if a North Carolina boy could go out 

 there and do better than the photographer pro- 

 vided by the western university expedition, 

 wouldn't it?" 



*'0h, if I could!" cried Shan. 



''Considering all those reasons," the Feather 

 Man continued, "I've come to the conclusion that 

 I should advise you to go. Opportunity doesn't 

 knock at doors too often, especiallj- in an out of 

 the way place like eastern North Carolina, and if, 

 when opportunity comes, it means a sacrifice, well, 

 that's no harm. Suppose you do spend all your 

 spare cash, you can come back to your little cabin 



