Peterkin

y. All except him. The door burs

me for nurse. Mamma calls her 'Brough' sometimes, but we always call her

her vexed. She doesn

'He is out driving with his mamm

, in his silly way. 'It's hi

ay have been partly that he had run upstairs very fast, for he is real

et queer, and her voice to get vexeder. Lots of people get c

James? Please to

Master Peterkin home before her, half-an-hour ago or more, but he hasn't come in,

es turn

getting up from her

he carriage?

een,' said James, in a very superior tone. 'He was to run home by hims

'Miss Blanchie, my dear, will you look after Mis

very offended tone, 'you kno

about Peterkin, it wouldn't be at all a good time to tease each other. I don't think Elf-that's Elvira's pet name-had understood

think there can really

sometimes rather slow; he is not as quick and clever as Blanche, and she often puts him down at first, thou

n-hour or an hour, perhaps, wandering about the streets, it shows he has at least lost his

have been partly Blanche's sharp tone, which had s

e wailed, 'could he

ket-handkerchief. 'There are kind policemen in the streets, yo

said Elf. 'I've see'd them. It's 'cos of

but there never was such a child as Elf for arguing, even then when she was only four years old. Indeed, she's not half as bad now that she is eight, twice as old, and I often

I'm so frightened about dear swee

gan, but Clem looked

Clem and Blanche's faces did not clear up at all. Nor did mine, I suppose. I really did not know what to think, I was waiting to see what the others thought, for we three younger ones looked up to Clement and Blanche a good deal, and we still do. They are twins, and they seem to mix together so well. Blanche is quick and clever, and Clement is awfully sensible, and they are both

a says it is stupid to say 'funny' when we mean queer or odd, but I think it sa

he first to s

about Peterkin, nurse?' she

sight of her darlin

asked you to look after Miss E

t's some nonsense she has got in her head about policemen taking strayed child

e she mumbled to herself, though I heard part of it. It

his way. Your mamma had to go round by Belton Street, and she did not want to keep Master Peterkin out so late to miss his tea, so she dropped him at the corner of L

mamma doing?'

se, 'and she has gone herself again in the carriage to the station, as

some people might remember about us, and I might say things that would vex them; so I won't call it anything, though I must explain that it is not at all a little place, but q

e told us. Suddenly Clement got up-I can't sa

terkin. Will you give me leave to go out for half-an-hour or so? I promise you I won't

r he was and is very trustworthy. And it was nice of him to ask her leave, considering he was twelve years old an

upposing you go out and don't get back as soon as you expe

he table altogether. 'Then if anything stops Clem getting back quickly, I can run home and explain. Anyway you'd

Clem, 'but

t be long?' p

hook h

f there's anything in my idea'

e at all, if Clem hadn't reminded me, even though it was late in November and a cold evening. And as soon as we were outsi

e replied; 'the parr

d. 'I never heard of a parrot, and

topping for a moment. 'Y

t indeed,

ever since we passed it on Saturday, when we were out w

'I wasn't with y

ou were,'

at our house. And you know, Clement, that's just like Peterkin. If he's got anything very m

me,' said Clement. 'But, all the same, I k

s he making up fair

again, and it just came into my mind all at once, that if he had a chance he might have run round there and lost his way. I don

easy to go on speaking. But I did think it was very clever

unhappy about Peterkin, I was enjoying myself a little. I did not think it possible that he was really badly lost, and it was very excitin

such tiny houses, opening out of one corner of Lindsay Square. The houses were rather pretty; at least, very neat-looking and old-fashioned,

the farther off end. Then he stopped shor

it was almost the end house. And-yes-isn't that a

of the lamps was not ve

ig cage, but I can't see

ight,' said Clement. Then he l

kin. For the door on the left of the parrot's home opened slowly, letting out what seemed, in contrast with the darkness outside, a flood of light, just within which, in the small hall or lobb

NG PETERK

ing to each oth

et about the parrot, you may be sure. He shall have a proper invitation. And-you are quite certain you can

ould do, we heard a queer croaking voice, from inside the house on

I'm so tired. I won't

nt, listening. So did we. Then Clement opened the ga

ed, 'mamma has been so

ed up in his face with his big blu

only been here for a minute or two.

itted old lady. She took

rom my stroll round to the pillar-box with a letter, and he told me he was one of Mrs. Lesley's little sons, and then we go

to trouble the poor old lady: she

will be so delighted to see him safe and sound. B

had just put on, and held out his hand, for the second or third time, I daresay, as he and his old lad

let me come whenever you fix the day for the parrot. And please tel

n he. And suddenly I saw his rosy face grow still rosier; crimson or scarlet, really. For Mrs. Wylie made a dash at him and kissed him, and unluckily Peterkin did not like being kissed, except by mamma and Elf. His polite

and everything was so quiet in that little side street, in the evening especially, that very likely our voices would have carried back to her. I, for

at last, 'I don't kno

has always been a long-legged chap for his age, thin and wiry, too; whereas, in those days-though, thank goodness, he is growing like a house on fire no

ad been a long time of saying his 'r's' clearly, and now they still all got in

y,' I burst out, and C

he told you to run straight home, which wouldn't have ta

allot one minute. And it would have been very lu-rude not to speak to the old lady, and go into her house fo

must be obedient' repl

is quick footsteps and Peterkin's sh

fairy. If I were mamma I'd stop your--' but at that I stopped myself. If Clement had heard me he would have been down upon me for disrespectfulnes

es in some ways. He guessed th

e reading faily stolies-you know she wouldn't,

say so,'

id Clem, 'and hurry on,' fo

essness of the pace, I hear

blue-bird,' were the

ight,' I thought to