8 " Au Secours/' 



l.cick. If she liked to leave the bird for a few days he would 

 trv and sell it for her, " but only as a favour, mind!" 



And reluctantly she agreed. 



She sobbed as she left Joey swinging on his ring in his 

 battered old cage, but a speculative look shone in Joey's eyes 

 as he gazed round the shop. 



" Au secours ! " he screamed. 



* * * * 



The Widow spent three sleepless nights thinking of her 

 feathered legacy which she had parted with for ever. 



" I didn't ought to have done it," she said to herself. 

 " I know I'll never see him again." 



Finally she turned her steps in the direction of the bird 

 shop. 



Vaguely she looked round. Had he gone? Her heart 

 sank, and then — 



" Take your blasted bird away," shouted the proprietor, 

 and Joey and his cage were rudely thrust into her arms. " He's 

 nearly wrecked my shop ! Got out and clawed up half the 

 fixtures, bitten the missus, and — " 



" Didn't no one fancy him?" faltered the Widow. 



" Yes ! one gent did. and I thought it was a deal — made a 

 fuss of him, let him crawl all over him and then the blasted 

 bird starting screaming, and fair drew him off! Take him out 

 of my sight and his silly jibberish ! " 



Tenderly the Widow carried him home. 



" I don't know what'll become of us." she whispered, 

 but Joey only chuckled — he knew ! 



Joey's cage was in dreadful need of a clean up. and the 

 bird watched her with a cunning eye as she threw out the seed 

 husks and sand, and the bits of wood and cigarette ends that 

 the bird treasured. There was a crust of stale bread soaking 

 in his water tin, togetlier with a piece of pa]ier. 



As the Widow emptied it, some lettering caught her eye. 

 She unfolded it with trembling hands. 



It was a bank note for five pounds ! 



" Au secours!" shouted Joey. " Au secours!" 



