,
together with packets of seed and a bird's bath and a pennyworth of
groundsel and plantains. Nurse told Michael to wait in the shop while
the birds were being prepared for travelling, and while she herself went
to the chemist to buy a remedy for the neuralgia which she prophesied
was imminent. Michael talked to the canary-man and asked a lot of
questions which the canary-man seemed very glad to answer; and finally
Nurse, looking much better, came back from the chemist with a large
bottle wrapped up in a newspaper. In the omnibus, going home, Michael
never took his eyes from the cage, anxious to see how the birds bore the
jolting. Sometimes they said 'sweet,' and then Michael would say
'sweet,' and a pleasant old lady opposite would say 'sweet,' and soon
all the people inside the omnibus were saying 'sweet,' except Nurse,
who was chewing her veil and making the most extraordinary faces.

It was very exciting to stand on tiptoe in the kitchen while Mrs. Frith
cut the string and displayed the canaries in all the splendour of their
cage.

"Beautiful things," said Mrs. Frith. "I'm that fond of birds."

"Don't they hop!" said Annie. "Not a bit frightened they don't seem, do
they?"

"What are their names?" Mrs. Frith enquired.

Michael thought for a long time.

"What _are_ their names, Mrs. Frith?" he asked at last.

"That's your business," said Cook.

"Why is it?" Michael wanted to know.

"Because they're your birds, stupid."

"One's Stella's."

"Well, Stella isn't old enough to choose for herself. Come along, what
are you going to call them?"

"You call them," said Michael persuasively.

"Well, if they was mine I should call them----" Cook paused.

"What would you?" said Michael, more persuasively than ever.

"I'm blessed if I know. There, Annie, what does anyone call a canary?"

"Don't ask me, I'm sure. No," simpered Annie.

"I shouldn't call them nothing, I shouldn't," Mrs. Frith finally
decided. "It isn't like dogs."

"What's the matter?" said Nurse, bustling into the kitchen. "Has one got
out? Has one got out?"

"I was telling Master Michael here," said Cook, "as how I shouldn't call
neither of them nothing. Not if I was he."

"Call what? Call what?" Nurse asked quickly.

"His new dicky-birds."

"Must have names. Yes. Yes. Must have names. Dick and Tom. Dick and
Tom."

"But one's a girl," Michael objected.

"Can't be changed now. Must be Dick and Tom," Nurse settled, blowing
rapidly as