Part 67 (1/2)

”Ah! That's because you're so young, Mas' Don You'll know better so Well, now, did you ever see the likes of that? He's laughing and jeering at us”

For at that radually growingall the while, as it ended by dancing first on one leg and then on the other, in the most eccentric fashi+on

”I should like to have that bird, Jem,” said Don at last

”Should you? Then you wouldn't havewith you”

”I don't like hi and perch; but I don't like one as goes through all theot a stone, I'd try and knock him off his perch”

_Chur-r-r-r_! Shrieked the bird, and it let itself fall over backwards, dropping down head over heels like a tueon, or an unfortunate which had been shot, and disappearing a the leaves far below

”There!” cried Jem, triumphantly; ”nohat do you say to that? Heard what I said, he did, and thought I was going to throw”

”Nonsense, Jem!”

”Ah! You may call it nonsense, Mas' Don, because you don't know better, but you didn't see him fall”

”Yes, I saw hi!”

The secret of the bird's sudden disappearance was explained for there was a rustling a its way along the ravine; and as Jem backed slowly into the cavern, Don cautiously peered from behind a mass of stone into the hollow, to see that so rapidly, as if with the intention of scaling the rock, and cli to where they lay

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

AMONG FRIENDS AGAIN

”It's all over with us, Mas' Don,” whispered Jem, as soon as they were souard Ramsden's sure, after all, that we're in here, and that Tom Hoppers has come to his senses, and felt it wasto hunt us out”

”Let's hope not, Je”

_Churr-urrt_ shrieked the cockatoo from far below

”There now,” said Je on before to show 'em the way”

”What nonsense, Jem!”

_Churr-ur_! Shrieked the cockatoo, ever so much nearer

”Well, do you call that nonsense?” whispered Je”