Page:A Child of the Jago - Arthur Morrison.djvu/56

 acquired and not for general inspection. His vacations, many and long, Jerry Gullen's canary spent, forgotten and unfed, in Jerry Gullen's backyard; gnawing desperately at fences and harrowing the neighborhood with his brays. Thus the nickname, facetiously applied by Kiddo Cook in celebration of his piteous song, grew into use; and "Canary" would call the creature's attention as readily as a mouthful of imprecations.

Jerry Gullen's canary was gnawing, gnawing, with a sound as of a crooked centre-bit. Everywhere about the foul yard, ten or twelve feet square, wood was rounded and splintered and bitten white, and, as the donkey turned his heavy head, a drip of blood from his gums made a disc on the stones. A twitch of the ears welcomed Dicky, grief-stricken as he was for it was commonly thus that he bethought him of solace in Jerry Gullen's backyard.