re! I can stuff birds and beasts at any rate a deal
better than those wooden looking things. I might have a chance of
getting work at some naturalist's shop. I will get a directory and take
down all the addresses in London, and then go around."

He now became conscious of a conversation going on between a little old
man with a pair of thick horn rimmed spectacles and a sailor who had a
dead parrot and a cat in his hand.

"I really cannot undertake them," the old man said. "Since the death of
my daughter I have had but little time to attend to that branch. What
with buying and selling, and feeding and attending to the live ones, I
have no time for stuffing. Besides, if the things were poisoned, they
would not be worth stuffing."

"It isn't the question of worth, skipper," the sailor said; "and I don't
say, mind ye, that these here critturs was pisoned, only if you looks
at it that this was the noisiest bird and the worst tempered thievingest
cat in the neighborhood--though, Lord bless you, my missus wouldn't
allow it for worlds--why, you know, when they were both found stiff and
cold this morning people does have a sort of a suspicion as how they've
been pisoned;" and he winked one eye in a portentous manner, and grinned
hugely. "The missus she's in a nice taking, screeching, and yelling as
you might hear her two cables' length away, and she turns round on me
and will have it as I'd a hand in the matter. Well, just to show my
innocence, I offers to get a glass case for 'em and have 'em stuffed,
if it cost me a couple of pounds. I wouldn't care if they fell all to
pieces a week afterwards, so that it pacified the old woman just at
present. If I can't get 'em done I shall ship at once, for the place
will be too hot to hold me. So you can't do it nohow?"

The old man shook his head, and the sailor was just turning off when
Frank went up to him:

"Will you please wait a moment? Can I speak to you, sir, a minute?" he
asked the old man.

The naturalist went into his shop, and Frank followed him.

"I can stuff birds and animals, sir," he said. "I think I really stuff
them well, for some which I did for amusement were sold at ten shillings
a case, and the man who bought them of me told me they would be worth
four times as much in London. I am out of work, sir, and very very
anxious to get my living. You will find me hard working and honest. Do
give me a chance. Let me stuff that cat and parrot for the sailor. If
you are