354 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



said. "Ajid, if they send another one from the 

 ship, we'll treat it the same way." 



A bullet flattened itself against the rock behind 

 which Shan and the Feather Man were crouching. 



''Good shooting," said the latter. 



''That's Ned Thompson," declared Shan. 

 "With all his faults, he can shoot." 



"He'll need to," remarked the Feather Man. 



His revolver spoke. 



Shan looked at him questioningly. 



"Somebody's hand showed," said the Feather 

 Man calmly, "and I reckoned he might as well see 

 what it felt like to have a finger amputated, free, 

 gratis and for nothing." 



Shan made no comment, he had seen the Feather 

 Man shoot, before. 



"What started all this rumpus?" asked Shan. 



"If," said the Feather Man, "you will roll your 

 head slightly to the left side — without raising it, 

 mind you — you'll see why." 



Cautiously Shan looked. 



A thin line of smoke trailed on the horizon. 



"The Eevenue Cutter Thetis/' remarked the 

 Feather Man, "coming up at full speed." ^ 



iThe Thetis arrested 32 Japanese plume-hunters in 1910 and 

 took them to Honolulu for trial. 



