“That won’t last,” said the other reassuringly, “you won’t care twopence this time next year.” “We’re not all alike,” growled the Chief, “some of us have got finer feelings than others have. I saw the chap next door looking at her as we passed him this morning.” “Lor’,” said the Third “I don’t want any of your damned impudence,” said the Chief sharply. “He put his hat on straighter when he passed us. What do you think of that?” “Can’t say,” replied the other with commendable gravity, “it might mean anything.” “If he has any of his nonsense while I’m away I’ll break his neck,” said the Chief passionately. “I shall know of it.” The other raised his eyebrows. “I’ve asked the landlady to keep her eyes open a bit,” said the Chief. “My wife was brought up in the country and she’s very young and simple, so that it is quite right and proper for her to have a motherly old body to look after her.” “Told your wife?” queried Rogers. “No,” said the other. “Fact is, I’ve got an idea about that parrot. I’m going to tell her it’s a magic bird, and will tell me everything she does while I’m away. Anything the landlady tells me I shall tell her I got from the parrot. For one thing, I don’t want her to go out after seven of an evening, and she’s promised me she won’t. If she does I shall know, and pretend that I know through the parrot. What do you think of it?” “Think of it?” said the Third, staring at him. “Think of it? Fancy a man telling a grown-up woman a yarn like that!” “She believes in warnings and death-watches, and all that sort of thing,” said the Chief, “so why shouldn’t she?” “Well, you’ll know whether she believes in it or not when you come back,” said Rogers, “and it’ll be a great pity, because it’s a beautiful talker.” “What do you mean?” said the other. “I mean it’ll get its little neck wrung,” said the Third. “Well, we’ll see,” said Gannett. “I shall know what to think if it does die.” “I shall never see that bird again,” said Rogers, shaking his head as the Chief took up the cage and handed it to the steward, who was to accompany him home with it. The couple left the ship and proceeded down the East India Dock Road side by side, the only incident being a hot argument between a constable and the engineer as to whether he could or could not be held responsible for the language in which the parrot saw fit to indulge when the steward happened to drop it. The engineer took the cage at his door, and, not without some misgivings, took it upstairs into the parlour and set it on the table. Mrs. Gannett, a simple-looking woman, with sleepy brown eyes and a docile manner, clapped her hands with joy. “Isn’t it a beauty?” said Mr. Gannett, looking at it; “I bought it to be company for you while I’m away.”