'How awful!' she said. 'I didn't know there were such people,
except in books.'

'It was a bit thick; but it's partly you girls' fault, coming out
in those flashy coats.'

'We thought we ought to, when we were going out with the Phoenix,'
said Jane; and the bird said, 'Quite right, too'--and incautiously
put out his head to give her a wink of encouragement.

And at the same instant a dirty hand reached through the grim
balustrade of the staircase beside them and clutched the Phoenix,
and a hoarse voice said--

'I say, Urb, blowed if this ain't our Poll parrot what we lost.
Thank you very much, lidy, for bringin' 'im home to roost.'

The four turned swiftly. Two large and ragged boys were crouched
amid the dark shadows of the stairs. They were much larger than
Robert and Cyril, and one of them had snatched the Phoenix away and
was holding it high above their heads.

'Give me that bird,' said Cyril, sternly: 'it's ours.'

'Good arternoon, and thankin' you,' the boy went on, with maddening
mockery. 'Sorry I can't give yer tuppence for yer trouble--but
I've 'ad to spend my fortune advertising for my vallyable bird in
all the newspapers. You can call for the reward next year.'

'Look out, Ike,' said his friend, a little anxiously; 'it 'ave a