I treated the blinking monkey to a collection of clicks and chuckles
which would have startled even a professor of the Bantu languages. He
finished his bean and emitted a low bird-like call.

"What's that?" asked Nancy.

"You see," I said, "he's brown and comes from a different part of the
country. It's like Englishmen and Frenchmen. Now, if he was blue--"

"Ask that keeper," said Nancy.

"He's very busy," I whispered. "We oughtn't to interrupt him."

Nancy at once ran over to the man.

"Have you got any blue ones?" she asked. "'Cos _he_ can talk to them.
We'd like to see one."

The man looked at me without interest. I was an amateur and a rival;
but Nancy's smile can work wonders.

"Yes, Missy," he said, "a beauty round here."

We reached the cage all too soon.

"Now talk," Nancy ordered.

Again I went through my ridiculous performance. The monkey looked at
the keeper.