“I shouldn’t be surprised if we have to use a little force,” said Phil, “for if he tries to rot us about the thrush we’ll make him sit up.”
“The best way,” suggested Andrew, “would be for you two boys to tackle the fellow, and leave me to free the bird. You deal with Jonas, and I will open the cage and let out the bird. I’m not a bit afraid of taking that responsibility,” he added loftily.
“Trust you,” began Phil, “to take the eas—”
But Faith broke in, “You really mustn’t set about it in that way, boys,” she said, “you’ve no right to touch what doesn’t belong to you. Let us go in first and offer to pay for the thrush, then when it belongs to us we can do what we like with it.”
“But of course, he won’t sell it, he—”
“Well, let’s ask him, at all events.”
“And suppose he flatly refuses?” asked Phil.
“Then,” shouted Jack, “we’ll wreck the whole show, shop and all.”
“You can’t,” said Fay, in the severe tone that she always assumed when she was most terrified, “you won’t forget that you are gentlemen, I’m quite sure that you won’t.”
“And that it is the duty of real knights to redress wrongs, but not to inflict them,” put in Phoena, who was feeling a little frightened.