for Miss Maud to speak of the captain being good; but I could
not forget he had taken me from my home, and made me a prisoner. Ah,
sir, you would not like to have your liberty taken from you; you would
feel it hard; and you would look upon the person who held you captive,
however kind he was, as a foe instead of a friend."

"And are you still longing for your freedom so much, Cockatoo?" said
Herbert, who could not bear the idea of any of his pets being unhappy.

"Oh yes, sir," said the poor cockatoo. "I often feel how delightful it
would be if I could get this ring off my foot and fly away to the
shrubbery; and how I should rejoice to plunge in that little pond where
you have your gold-fish."

"Now, I should like to give you your heart's desire, Cockatoo; but if I
set you at liberty in this country you would die. We have no orange,
lemon, or coffee trees in our garden; and though we have apples and
pears in plenty, you could not stand the long cold nights. But I'll tell
you what I will do: if you will make a promise not to fly far, and to
return to your cage when I call you, I shall let you free to fly about
in the shrubbery; and you can bathe in the pond, if you do not harm the
fish."

"Oh, thank you, Master Herbert," cried the cockatoo. "I'll come back at
a moment's notice,--I really will."

"Mee-a-ow, mew," cried Polly, imitating the cry of a cat. "Beware of
Miss Puss."

"You're right, Polly; that is very amiable of you," said Herbert. "Now,
here goes, Cockatoo, and I shall expect you to report yourself, as
uncle might say, in an hour's time." With that he opened the cage door,
and with a glad scream away flew the cockatoo.

"I don't know if I have done right or not, Polly," said Herbert. "I hope
he will return, else my uncle will be very angry. He thought Cockatoo
was the finest bird he had ever seen of the kind. Come now, Polly, you
promised to tell me your history after Cockatoo had told his."

"Oh no, sir, I made no promise," said Mrs. Polly, walking up and down
the perch very fast, turning at each end with a graceful and coquettish
air. "After such a wonderful story as we have heard, it would quite
spoil it to listen to such an old, humdrum affair as mine."

[Illustration: FREEDOM FOR AN HOUR.

_Page 56._]

"Now, Polly, don't be cross," said Herbert; "the fairy must have fancied
you could tell a good thing, else she wouldn't have said what she
did."

"Oh, she had no idea I could tell a story," sai