3i6 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



stay for a month. There 's water on the island to 

 drink, and these old buildings to live in. Couldn't 

 I buy enough supplies from the expedition stock 

 and stay here a couple of months ? You could ar- 

 range for a boat to come and take me off later. 

 Couldn't it be done?" 



The Feather Man looked thoughtfully but 

 doubtfully at Shan. 



''This is my one chance," the boy persisted. 

 ''You said, yourself, that 'way down in North 

 Carolina, I mightn't get another opportunity for 

 a long time, perhaps never. It 's not my fault that 

 the plume-hunters were here, last year. Don 't you 

 think I could stay?" 



"All alone?" 



"I'm not afraid of being alone," the boy per- 

 sisted. "And I wouldn't need such a lot to eat." 



"And if you got ill?" 



"I've never been ill a day in my life," declared 

 Shan. ' ' Why should I get ill here ? 



"And there's another thing," he continued, see- 

 ing that the Feather Man was in no wise per- 

 suaded, "look at all these rabbits on Laysan. 

 You said this morning, that importing rabbits on 

 this island was the worst thing that could have 

 happened and that they all ought to be killed off. ' ' 



