Peterkin's head, and I was speedily lost in admiration of its
bright green plumage, which was mingled with other gay colours.
While I looked I observed that the bird turned its head slowly from
side to side and looked downwards, fist with the one eye, and then
with the other. On glancing downwards I observed that Peterkin's
mouth was wide open, and that this remarkable bird was looking into
it. Peterkin used to say that I had not an atom of fun in my
composition, and that I never could understand a joke. In regard
to the latter, perhaps he was right; yet I think that, when they
were explained to me, I understood jokes as well as most people:
but in regard to the former he must certainly have been wrong, for
this bird seemed to me to be extremely funny; and I could not help
thinking that, if it should happen to faint, or slip its foot, and
fall off the twig into Peterkin's mouth, he would perhaps think it
funny too! Suddenly the paroquet bent down its head and uttered a
loud scream in his face. This awoke him, and, with a cry of
surprise, he started up, while the foolish bird flew precipitately
away.

"Oh you monster!" cried Peterkin, shaking his fist at the bird.
Then he yawned and rubbed his eyes, and asked what o'clock it was.

I smiled at this question, and answered that, as our watches were
at the bottom of the sea, I could not tell, but it was a little
past sunrise.

Peterkin now began to remember where we were. As he looked up into
the bright sky, and snuffed the scented air, his eyes glistened
with delight, and he uttered a faint "hurrah!" and yawned again.
Then he gazed slowly round, till, observing the calm sea through an