" says I. "Oh, oh, I guess it ain't as bad as that."

"Pardon," says Leon, "but I discover them steef, les pieds dans le ciel.
Thus!" And he illustrates by holdin' both hands above his head.

"Perhaps it would be best to investigate," suggests Auntie. "I have no
doubt Leon is right. Turkeys require expert care and handling, and when
you were so sure of raising them I quite expected something like this."

"Yes, I know you did," says I. "Anyway, let's take a look."

And there they were, all six of 'em, with their feet in the air, and as
stiff as if they'd just come from cold storage.

"Like somebody had thrown in a gas attack on 'em," says I. "Good night,
turks! You sure did make it unanimous, didn't you?"

I expect my smile was kind of a sickly performance, for the last person
I'd have wanted to be in on the obsequies was Auntie. I will say,
though, that she don't try to rub it in. No, she tells of similar cases
she's known of when she was a girl, about whole flocks bein' poisoned by
something they'd found to eat.

"The only thing to do now," says she, "is to save the feathers."

"Eh?" says I, gawpin'.

"The long tail and wing feathers can be used for making fans and
trimming hats," says Auntie, "while the smaller ones are excellent for
stuffing pillows. They must be picked at once."

"Oh, I'm satisfied to call 'em a total loss," says I.

Auntie wouldn't have it, though. She sends Leon for a big apron and a
couple of baskets and has me round up Joe to help. When I left they
were all three busy and the turkey feathers were coming off fast. All
there was left for me to do was to go in and break the sad news to Vee.

"As a turkey raiser, I'm a flivver," says I.

"But I can't see that it's your fault at all," says Vee.

"Can't you?" says I. "Ask Auntie."

If the next day hadn't been Sunday, I could have sneaked off to town and
dodged the little talk Auntie insists on givin' about the folly of
amateurs tacklin' jobs they know nothing about. As it is I has to stick
around and take the gaff. Then about ten o'clock Basil Pyne has to show
up and reopen the subject.

"Oh, by the way," says he, "how are the turkeys this morning? Are they
still practicing that wonderful duck walk you were telling me about?"

Auntie has just fixed an accusin' eye on me, and I was wonderin' if it
would be any sin to take Basil out back somewhere and choke him, when in
rushes old Leon with a wild look on his face. He's so excited that