The reflection on Roy's celerity weren't at all merited, for scarcely a
quarter of a minute had passed since his advent. But if "the baby" was
to be rescued there was no time to lose. The cat, apparently not
understanding what all the noise and excitement was about, still held
his captive and looked down wonderingly from the edge of the roof. Roy
hesitated for just an instant longer. Then he seized the first
apparently empty box that came to hand, turned it upside-down at the
corner of the shed, and, amidst more despairing shrieks than ever,
leaped onto it. Perhaps he was scared by the sudden appearance of Roy's
head over the edge of the roof, perhaps by the renewed and more
appalling clamor; at all events the cat abandoned his prey on the
instant and took off along the roof. Roy managed to save the rabbit from
a bad fall by catching it in one hand just as it rolled over the edge
and in another moment was holding it forth, a very badly frightened
little mass of white fur and pink eyes, to its distressed mistress. But
strange to say the mistress seemed more anguished than ever. What she
was saying Roy couldn't for the life of him make out, but it was
evidently something uncomplimentary to him. In another moment the
mystery was explained. Following the excited gestures of the red-haired
girl, Roy turned just in time to see the box upon which he had stood
topple and fall. Whereupon from out of it stalked a highly insulted red
and green parrot, quite the largest Roy had ever seen. The bird emerged
with ruffled plumage and wrathful eyes, cocked his head on one side and
remarked fretfully in a shrill voice:

"Well, I never did! Naughty Poll! Naughty Poll!"

Then he chuckled wickedly and rearranged his feathers with a formidable
beak. After that he turned and viewed Roy with a glittering, beady eye,
and,

"Stop your swearing! Stop your swearing! Stop your swearing!" he
shrieked at the top of his voice.

This outburst was so unexpected and excruciating that Roy gave back
before it. But as though satisfied with the dismay he had caused the
parrot broke out into a shrill burst of laughter and waddled toward the
girl, who had now transferred her attention to the rescued rabbit.

"I--I didn't know he was in the box," stammered Roy.

"No, I don't suppose you did," answered the girl grudgingly. "Boys are
so stupid! You might have killed him! Come here, Methuselah, and tell me
all about it. Did the wicked boy frighten you most