passed by without seein them.

Anthea drew a long breath.

'How awful!' she said. 'I didn't know there were such people, except in
books.'

'It was a bit thick; but it's partly you girls' fault, coming out in
those flashy coats.'

'We thought we ought to, when we were going out with the Phoenix,' said
Jane; and the bird said, 'Quite right, too'--and incautiously put out
his head to give her a wink of encouragement.

And at the same instant a dirty hand reached through the grim balustrade
of the staircase beside them and clutched the Phoenix, and a hoarse
voice said--

'I say, Urb, blowed if this ain't our Poll parrot what we lost. Thank
you very much, lidy, for bringin' 'im home to roost.'

The four turned swiftly. Two large and ragged boys were crouched amid
the dark shadows of the stairs. They were much larger than Robert and
Cyril, and one of them had snatched the Phoenix away and was holding it
high above their heads.

'Give me that bird,' said Cyril, sternly: 'it's ours.'

'Good arternoon, and thankin' you,' the boy went on, with maddening
mockery. 'Sorry I can't give yer tuppence for yer trouble--but I've
'ad to spend my fortune advertising for my vallyable bird in all the
newspapers. You can call for the reward next year.'

'Look out, Ike,' said his friend, a little anxiously; 'it 'ave a beak on
it.'

'It's other parties as'll have the Beak on to 'em presently,' said Ike,
darkly, 'if they come a-trying to lay claims on my Poll parrot. You just
shut up, Urb. Now then, you four little gells, get out er this.'

'Little girls!' cried Robert. 'I'll little girl you!'

He sprang up three stairs and hit out.

There was a squawk--the most bird-like noise any one had ever heard
from the Phoenix--and a fluttering, and a laugh in the darkness, and Ike
said--

'There now, you've been and gone and strook my Poll parrot right in the
fevvers--strook 'im something crool, you 'ave.'

Robert stamped with fury. Cyril felt himself growing pale with rage,
and with the effort of screwing up his brain to make it clever enough to
think of some way of being even with those boys. Anthea and Jane were as
angry as the boys, but it made them want to cry. Yet it was Anthea who
said--

'Do, PLEASE, let us have the bird.'

'Dew, PLEASE, get along and leave us an' our bird alone.'

'If you don't,' said Anthea, 'I shall fetch the police.'

'You better!' said he who was named Urb. 'Say, Ike, you twist the
bloomin' pigeon'