From down in the kitchen, however, the little Curlytop boy could plainly hear the parrot saying:
"I'm a crack-crack-cracker!"
"I'll hit him a crack if he doesn't keep quiet!" said a harsh voice. "Do you hear anyone coming, Bill?"
"No," replied another voice, which, Teddy thought, must belong to the man called Bill.
"They're burglars trying to get our parrot!" quickly thought Teddy. "I'm not going to let them have Mr. Nip. If they take him away he can't be in our circus. Course he can't do tricks like Skyrocket and Top, but he's nice to look at. The burglars shan't get Mr. Nip!"
Teddy slipped out of bed and went, as softly as he could, to the room where his father and mother slept. They were sound in slumber, which is the reason neither of them heard the parrot talking and screeching. Besides, the rooms of Teddy and Janet were nearer the kitchen.
"Daddy! Mother! Wake up!" whispered Teddy.
The sound of his parents' heavy breathing was the only answer the little boy received.
"Daddy! Mother!" he called again. "Wake up! There's a burglar downstairs, and he's trying to take Mr. Nip!"
There was silence for a moment, and then Teddy reached over and gently pulled his mother by her hand, which was hanging down outside the bed.