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 the order, 'on tick!' and the Signora, who knew that the cakes would be sent, obeyed the command at once.

The parrot made a droll use of these practisings, turning to account his knowledge of speech in the slyest way. If he found himself alone with the poodle, who was perhaps comfortably stretched on her cushion, Lori would cry—imitating his master's voice—as if he quite understood the joke: 'Go out!' Poor Patti would get



LORI REFUSES TO SHARE WITH THE SIGNORA

up in obedience to the order and slink out of the door with her ears drooping. And immediately Lori would whistle, just in the tone used by his master, and the Signora then returned joyfully into the room.

But it was not only for pastime that Lori exercised his gift; the cunning bird used it for the benefit of his greedy beak. It began to happen often to the master to find that his private account-book, carefully kept in the smallest details, did not agree well with that of his