"It is nothing to be ashamed of," said Bert; "we didn't know what the
letters meant until father told us."

"That's so," said Don; "how is a fellow to know a thing he has never
had a chance to learn? Now when the birds are caught, you put so many
of them in a box and on each box you mark the value of its contents.
You send a notice of shipment to the man, and he will know when to
look for the birds. When they arrive he pays the amount of your bill
to the express agent, and the agent forwards it to you. You run no
risk whatever, for the man can't get the quails until your bill is
paid."

"Now I'll tell you what we'll do," said Bert, who saw by the
expression on David's face that his brother had not made matters much
clearer by his explanation, "you go to work and catch the quails, and
when you have made up the required number, we'll help you ship them
off."

"That's the idea," said Don. "We'll do anything we can for you."

"Thank you," answered David, who felt as if a tremendous
responsibility had been removed from his shoulders.

"I'll write to the man to-day, informing him that you will go to work
at once," added Don. "I don't suppose you could tell, even within a
week or two, of the time it will take you to fill the order, could
you?"

"I shouldn't like to make a guess," said David. "The birds rove
around so that a fellow can't tell anything about them. They are