AA London Picnic 153

“And the man said: Seems as tf’e was
trying to talk. ’E’s balmy on the crumpet,
Selp me Bob.” es

‘What is that ?” interrupted the child.

“Oh, he meant that the bird had not all
his senses : and was balmy on the crumpet.”

“ Ah!” said Doris, ‘I shall remember.”

“TY wouldn’t if I were you,” said the
_ Visitor. “However, the bird went on
trying to explain itself. Once he stooped
and showed the man the comfortable place
on his shoulders where passengers were
made at home on their way to the city.
And the final result was that Jim Smith
saw the bird was very fond of him, and
believed it was a sort of harmless idiot.
He tried running into the next field. The

bird followed him. “If I could get him
to London,” he said, ‘‘there’d be a penny
show as ’ud draw all Walworth.” He

trudged on, and the bird still followed,
though it explained now and again (if only
Jim could have understood) that time was
getting on, and delay dangerous.