“Bill?”
“The parrot.”
“Oh, the jolly old parrot! Rather! Well, cheerio!”
“Good-bye … You’ve been awfully good to me.”
“Oh, no,” said Freddie uncomfortably. “Any time you’re passing … !”
“Awfully good … Well, good-bye.”
“Toodle-oo!”
“Maybe we’ll meet again some day.”
“I hope so. Absolutely!”
There was a little scurry of feet. Something warm and soft pressed for an instant against Freddie’s cheek, and, as he stumbled back, Nelly Bryant skipped up the steps and vanished through the door.