Part 19 (1/2)

”How many have you?” questioned w.a.n.g more boldly.

”I counted them yesterday morning and there were fifteen.”

”But did you count them again last night?”

”Yes, I did,” answered Lin slowly.

”And there were only fourteen then?”

”Quite right, friend w.a.n.g, one of them was missing; but one duck is of little importance. Why do you speak of it?”

”What, no importance! losing a duck? How can you say so? A duck's a duck, isn't it, and surely you would like to know how you lost it?”

”A hawk most likely.”

”No, it wasn't a hawk, but if you would go and look in old Sen's duck yard, you would likely find feathers.”

”Nothing more natural, I am sure, in a duck yard.”

”Yes, but your duck's feathers,” persisted w.a.n.g.

”What! you think old Sen is a thief, do you, and that he has been stealing from me?”

”Exactly! you have it now.”

”Well, well, that is too bad! I am sorry the old fellow is having such a hard time. He is a good worker and deserves better luck. I should willingly have given him the duck if he had only asked for it. Too bad that he had to steal it.”

w.a.n.g waited to see how Mr. Lin planned to punish the thief, feeling sure that the least he could do, would be to go and give him a good scolding.

But nothing of the kind happened. Instead of growing angry, Mr. Lin seemed to be sorry for Sen, sorry that he was poor, sorry that he was willing to steal.

”Aren't you even going to give him a scolding?” asked w.a.n.g in disgust.

”Better go to his house with me and give him a good raking over the coals.”

”What use, what use? Hurt a neighbour's feelings just for a duck? That would be foolish indeed.”

By this time the Miser King had begun to feel an itching all over his body. The feathers had begun hurting again, and he was frightened once more. He became excited and threw himself on the floor in front of Mr.

Lin.

”Hey! what's the matter, man?” cried Lin, thinking w.a.n.g was in a fit.

”What's the matter? Are you ill?”

”Yes, very ill,” wailed w.a.n.g. ”Mr. Lin, I'm a bad man, and I may as well own it at once and be done with it. There is no use trying to dodge the truth or hide a fault. I stole your duck last night, and to-day I came sneaking over here and tried to put the thing off on old Sen.”

”Yes, I knew it,” answered Lin. ”I saw you carrying the duck off under your garment. Why did you come to see me at all if you thought I did not know you were guilty?”

”Only wait, and I'll tell you everything,” said w.a.n.g, bowing still lower. ”After I had boiled your duck and eaten it, I went to bed. Pretty soon I felt an itching all over my body. I could not sleep and in the morning I found that I had a thick growth of duck's feathers from head to foot. The more I pulled them out, the thicker they grew in. I could hardly keep from screaming. I took to my bed, and after I had tossed about for hours a fairy came and told me that I could never get rid of my trouble unless I got you to give me a thorough scolding. Here is the money for your duck. Now for the love of mercy, scold, and do it quickly, for I can't stand the pain much longer.”

w.a.n.g was grovelling in the dirt at Lin's feet, but Lin answered him only with a loud laugh which finally burst into a roar. ”Duck feathers! ha!