"I can't offer you this seat," said the old lady, "because it has been booked and paid for for my bird." As neither of the new passengers had shown the slightest wish for the seat the communication was perhaps unnecessary.

Neither of the two had any idea of separating from the other for the sake of the old lady's company.
They had before them a journey of thirty miles on one railway, then a stop of half an hour at the Hinxton Junction; and then another journey of about equal length.

In the first hour very little was said that might not have been said in the presence of Lady Ushant,--or even of Mrs.Masters.There might be a question whether, upon the whole, the parrot had not the best of the conversation, as the bird, which the old lady declared to be the wonder of his species, repeated the last word of nearly every sentence spoken either by our friends or by the old lady herself.

"Don't you think you'd be less liable to cold with that window closed ?" the old lady said to Mary.
"Cosed,--cosed,--cosed," said the bird, and Morton was of course constrained to shut the window.

"He is a wonderful bird," said the old lady.