other
articles, were missing, but could not imagine who was the thief. He
watched for several days, not noticing that whenever Mr. Brush made his
appearance, Poll instantly screamed, 'Bacon.'

"One evening he determined to watch, as, the day previous, a larger
slice than usual had been taken, and he was hid behind a barrel, when
he saw Mr. Brush coming softly toward him.

"'Bacon! bacon! bacon!' screamed Poll, at the top of her voice.

"'I'd wring your neck if I dared,' murmured the man, glancing
maliciously toward the bird; and then he walked back again to the fire.

"After this, father watched the parrot, and found he made this cry only
when Brush appeared. He thought it so singular that he charged him with
the theft, which the man, in great confusion reluctantly confessed.

"The curious story of his detection by a parrot soon spread through the
town, and for years Mr. Brush was called by the name of Bacon, while the
bird received much attention and many compliments for her sagacity."

"I suppose, then, Poll saw him take it," said Minnie, gravely.

"O, yes! He witnessed the whole proceeding, and did his best to give
warning at once; but his loud cries were not understood."

"Wasn't he a good bird?" asked Lizzie.

"Yes, indeed. I suppose it would be a good plan to hang a parrot in
every store."

CHAPTER VI.

PARROT SAVING THE SILVER.

Minnie was quite distressed one morning, when, on going to Poll's cage
to say "Good morning" to her pet, she found her unable to answer, only
returning a feeble moan. She ran in haste to tell her mother, who
thought it one of the parrot's tricks. When she came down, however, she
found Poll was really ill.

[Illustration: "Dear Poll! darling birdie!" Page 115.]

"Dear Poll! darling birdie!" she said, tenderly, stroking the beautiful
head. "I'll make you some tea, which I hope will soon cure you."

She went at once to a side closet, and taking a little pinch of saffron
from a paper, sent it to the cook, with directions to steep it at once.

Breakfast that morning was a dull affair, without Poll's lively talk;
and as, after the saffron tea, she did not at once revive, Minnie began
to mourn so much lest her dear parrot would die, that her father, to
occupy her attention, took her to the library, and read her some
anecdotes, a few of which I will repeat.

"A tradesman in London kept two parrots, which usually hung in a cage
over the porch projecting from the front