nd watch, expecting some time to
see Mr. Painter get his claws into that curly blond duster before Somers
could reach a limb, or shake him down afterward.

"Well, just as they expected, one day when Somers went out for a little
promenade alone Mr. Painter happened along, but Somers saw him first,
and made for a tree, with Mr. Painter after him, reaching for that fine
plume and just missing it, as the handsome stranger went up the tree and
out on a limb, with Mr. Painter right behind and making very savage
noises. Then he began shaking the limb as hard as he could, and my
ancestors, who were watching from quite a safe place, thought Somers
would drop pretty soon, for they didn't think he could be trained to
holding on--such a fine person as he was.

"So they watched, very hopeful, and sure enough, about the third hard
shake Somers dropped--just let go with his hands and feet, and rolled
off, almost as if he really didn't care. My ancestors said that was what
it looked like, and that was what it was. Somers didn't care at all, for
when he let go and dropped, he didn't fall, but just swung off into
space, and stayed attached to that limb, hanging head down, by his tail!

[Illustration: "CALLING OUT, 'MUCH OBLIGED, MR. PAINTER'"]

"My ancestors had never been so astonished in their lives, nor Mr.
Painter, either. He couldn't believe it. He thought at first Somers had
got caught, somehow, and gave one more shake, but when Somers swung back
and forth, laughing and calling out, 'Much obliged, Mr. Painter--much
obliged for the nice swing!' Mr. Painter climbed down and took out for
home as hard as he could, without looking behind him, for he thought it
was some kind of magic. And pretty soon Somers climbed down, too, and
brushed himself off a little, and fixed his tail in a nice position, and
walked along, smiling; and my ancestors hurried to him and said they
had just arrived in time to witness his great performance, and begged
him to show them how he did it, and offered him anything if he would
only teach them to handle those useless ornaments of theirs in that
grand way.

"So then Somers told them all about it. He said he was the inventor of
the idea, and of the medicine that made it work. He said he was very
soon going back to his own people, but before he went he would make up
some medicine, which would make their hair and tails both curl, and
would explain how to take it.

"Well, they were so anxious about it that he