Mr. Faversham was fairly nonplussed. He could not truthfully affirm that he considered this bondage-state to be a particularly congenial one for them; neither could he, on the other hand, bring himself to confess that it was possible they might have preferred remaining in their own native wilds, had they been allowed a voice in the matter; but, after a moment's reflection, he did the next best thing, which was to explain to Lily that if he were to give these tropical birds their liberty it would probably be at the expense of their lives.

Then he proceeded to expatiate upon the many advantages which they possessed over their late companions in captivity, whom he had recently seen crowded together in a close and uncomfortable shop in the very heart of London; but it was not until he had positively assured her that the plan which she in her childish simplicity suggested as being perfectly feasible-of sending them back to their own sunny land-was quite out of the question, that Lily became in any wise reconciled to their detention. She was such a bright, sparkling little sunbeam herself, and

so thoroughly able to appreciate the pleasures of a life of unfettered freedom, that it seemed to her unsophisticated mind a most barbarous and unfeeling thing to encroach upon the rights of these gorgeously-apparelled birds, and transport them from one country to another, merely for the sake of personal gain or amusement!

When she at length discovered, however, that much as she might wish it, she could not alter the fact of their being captives, she devoted herself to the task of trying by every means in her small power to render them happy in their new home.

While liking and admiring them all, she yet had one special favourite, who received by far the greatest portion of her care and attention. This favourite was in the matter of appearance decidedly the most unprepossessing among them, being a misshapen, sulky, dwarfish old grey parrot, very sparsely adorned with feathers of the dingiest hue, which gave him a faded, washed-out appearance; and disfigured, moreover, by the total loss of one of his eyes, which caused him to make the strangest grimaces and

contortions whenever he desired to bring himself within full view of any particular person or thing.

Mr. Faversham had been induced to purchase this grotesque creature solely on account of his having earned for himself the reputation of being extremely clever. Which character he certainly deserved; although, owing to his ugliness and illnature, he was not generally popular. This latter fact may probably have accounted for the partiality of Lily's own conduct. She saw that whenever Crossley, or the housemaid, or Mary, or the staid-looking elderly man who had charge of the winter garden, came to visit her pets, they invariably turned their backs upon the shrivelled-up specimen of the parrot tribe, who went by the name of One-eye, while One-eye's companions received quite an ovation at their hands; and when Lily remonstrated against the injustice of the thing, they would shrug their shoulders, or shake their heads, or perhaps call him by the misnomer of a "little imp," and declare they could not bear the sight of him.

And the tender-hearted child, who evidently imagined that One-eye's feelings must be grievously outraged by the studious neglect he met with from every one else, redoubled her own efforts to make up for their remissness.

Crossley expressed herself as being in no wise astonished at Lily's preference for so ugly a bird. "It was just like some mothers," she condescendingly remarked to Mary, "who often cling more fondly and tenaciously by far to those of their children who happen to be, sickly and unattractive, than others who are radiant with health and beauty."

But there was still another reason why Lily should like One-eye; he treated her much better than he did the rest of the world! If a stranger approached his perch he would probably fly into a rage, and give utterance to a torrent of angry exclamations; or else relapse into a fit of obstinate sullenness, from which it would be impossible to rouse him; but he allowed Lily to do what she pleased with him, and never on any occasion tried to injure her. Perhaps he

considered that the small, fairy-like figure which hovered so gracefully and incessantly about him, and talked to him in such sweet, lisping tones, must be of an altogether different race from his other visitors; or it may be that he had a sort of consciousness that the sentiments with which she regarded him were of a more friendly nature than theirs; and he wished accordingly to mark his own appreciation of her kindness, by conducting himself towards her with an unusual degree of courtesy and respect.

One of his peculiarities lay in the facility with which he could repeat the most difficult sentences, and imitate the most extraordinary and discordant noises; but if any one presumed to take advantage of this power by trying to teach him something new, he would be instantly seized with a fit of obstinacy, which prevented him from speaking at all for hours, and even days together; although, when left to himself, he was constantly surprising people by the many startling and often amusing observations he made on passing events.

Crossley detested him, because of the