h stood the
raven, on one leg of course, his queer black head very much on one side,
as he surveyed the little group above him.

"Silly young people," he seemed to be saying to himself; but Houpet was
not to be put down so. With a shrill, clear crow he descended from his
perch, stepped close up to Dudu, looked him in the face, and then
quietly marched off, followed by his two companions. The children
watched this little scene with the greatest interest.

"They _do_ look as if they were talking to each other," said Hugh. "I
wonder what it's about."

"Perhaps it's about the party," said Jeanne; "the party you said you'd
give to the peacocks on the wall, and all the pets."

"Perhaps," said Hugh. "I am sure there must be beautiful big rooms in
that castle with the lots of steps up to it, where the peacocks stand.
Don't you think it would be nice to get inside that castle and see what
it's like?"

"Oh, wouldn't it!" said Jeanne, clapping her hands. "How I do wish we
could! You might tell Dudu to take us, Cheri. Perhaps it's a fairy
palace really, though it only looks like a picture, and if Dudu's a
fairy, he might know about it."

"I'll ask him if I get a chance," said Hugh. "Good morning, Monsieur
Dudu," he went on, bowing politely from the window to the raven, who had
cocked his head in another direction, and seemed now to be looking up at
the two children with the same supercilious stare he had bestowed upon
the cock and hens. "Good morning, Monsieur Dudu; I hope you won't catch
cold with this snowy weather. It's best to be very polite to him, you
see," added Hugh, turning to Jeanne; "for if he took offence we should
get no fun out of him."

"Oh yes," said Jeanne, "it is much best to be very polite to him. Look
at him now, Cheri; _doesn't_ he look as if he knew what we were saying?"

For Dudu was eyeing them unmistakably by this time, his head more on one
side than ever, and his lame leg stuck out in the air like a
walking-stick.

"That's _just_ how he stood at the foot of the bed, on the wood part,
you know," said Hugh, in a whisper.

"And weren't you frightened, Cheri?" said Jeanne. "I always think Dudu
looks not at all like a good fairy, when he cocks his head on one side
and sticks his claw out like that. I quite believe then that he's a
wicked enchanter. O Cheri," she went on, catching hold of Hugh, "what
_should_ we do if he was to turn us into two little frogs or toads?"

"We should have to live in th