g back to camp. I, for one, have had enough
slaughter and adventure for one night."

The guns and plumes were quickly gathered together and, guided by the
light of the camp-fire, the two canoes were soon made fast again at the
point and their occupants were soon busy removing their rubber boots
and drying themselves before the roaring fire.

Chris' eyes shone with delight when they spread out to view the
beautiful feathery pink, white and blue plumes.

"Sixty-three of 'em," he announced after a hurried count. "Golly,
guess dis nigger goin' to be a rich man afore we get back home."

The captain rummaged in his saddle-bags and brought out a small pair of
steelyards. The plumes were tied carefully together in a bunch and
suspended from the hook.

"Twenty ounces," he announced. "At five dollars an ounce that makes
one hundred dollars, lads. That ain't half bad for our first night's
work."

But in spite of their success the boys' faces were grave and depressed.

The captain glanced shrewdly from one to the other. "I reckon you-alls
are thinkin' now of just what I've been studyin' on. You're thinkin'
of all them poor innocent birds we've killed to get them feathers.
You're thinkin' of them and of the dozens you only wounded which are
bound to die a lingerin', sufferin' death, poor things."

Charley shuddered, "I killed one and it didn't fall," he explained, "I
climbed up and looked, and it was resting on a nest containing five,
cute, little fluffy ones."

"We can't go on with it," declared Walter with deep feeling. "It's fit
work for brutes like those convicts but not for us."

"Pulling out the plumes won't kill 'em, an' I don't think it hurts 'em
much," said the captain, thoughtfully. "Maybe we can rig up some sort
of trap that will do the work without killin' 'em. It's time for bed,
now, lads, but think it over and, perhaps, we can hit on some scheme.
Had we better take turns at keeping watch, Charley?"

"I don't think we'll be bothered for a while yet, at any rate," said
Charley, thoughtfully, as he stretched out on his couch and pulled his
blanket over him. "Good-night, all; here goes for the land of dreams."

Although he closed his eyes and endeavored to sleep, it was a long time
before it visited his excited brain. He was only a boy in years and
the responsibility for the safety of the little party now trustfully
thrust upon him bore heavily upon his young shoulders. It would not
have been so