and took it gently from Herbert's hand, who could not fail to see
there was a marked difference in the bird's appearance.

"Good boy, good boy!" shrieked the gray parrot from her perch, quite
forgetting she had promised never to speak the English language, in her
eagerness to mark her approval of his conduct. "Now, if you really would
like to please Master Herbert," she continued in her own parrot tongue,
"I'd say the words he has been trying to teach you for days. Come, out
with it, old boy;" and again she relapsed into the English language.

[Illustration: CAKE FROM MASTER HERBERT.

_Page 12._]

The cockatoo looked into Herbert's kind eyes, and said as plainly as he
could, "Pretty Cocky."

"Oh, you can speak after all," said Herbert. "Well, now, that's jolly; I
thought you were going to be a good-for-nothing stupid creature. Come
now, say it again; but give us the whole of the word."

Assisted by Mrs. Polly's "Out with it, old boy," the cockatoo tried his
best, but could only get the length of "Pretty Cockat----" However,
Herbert was content with this for a beginning, and turned to the gray
parrot with a kind inquiry after her health; who instantly replied,
anxious perhaps to make up for her companion's tardiness, "Thank you,
sir; how d'ye do?"

"I'm glad _you're_ clever, Mrs. Polly," said Herbert. "Uncle James was
just saying to Lucy the other day, you were the cleverest parrot he
ever saw, and he has brought home dozens now." Mrs. Polly did not
understand all her young master said; but she knew by his voice and eye
he was praising her, so she said, with a pretty courtesy, "Thank you,
sir!" which made Herbert laugh very heartily; and when he further
requested her to dance, she did so at once, whistling a tune to herself
for an accompaniment. "Do you know, Mrs. Polly, you are to have another
companion very soon?" said Herbert, giving the gray parrot another piece
of cake. "He's a great scarlet macaw, and Uncle James says he is getting
him sent from South America. Oh dear! I should like to be able to
understand your chatter--I mean your own language, Polly--because you
could tell such a great deal about the different countries you have come
from. There's Cockatoo, he could tell us about the Indian Islands, and
Borneo;--that was where Uncle James brought you from, sir, when he was
on his voyage to Canton. He got ever so many birds of paradise, too;
for, luckily for him, they had just come over from New Guinea, a