One glance was sufficient--her throat let loose a piercing scream as she
ran from the room into the kitchen. "A man! A man is climbing up the
house--quick, send for the police!" she shouted breathlessly to the
servants.
Holding her throbbing temples with both hands, she waited with the
servants in the kitchen. Soon two policemen arrived, having been told
that a robber had entered the house, but they found nothing excepting
Silly Peter on top of the roof, propped against the chimney, waving his
flag and signalling to his birds.
"He's harmless," said the officer. "I can't make him come down, madam.
I'm a policeman, not a fireman." And with this they went away, leaving
Vera with her servants and Peter with his pigeons.
Presently the Captain came home, raved and shouted as he swung his
arms--but Peter sat with his back against the chimney, making bubbles
with his mouth and holding two new-born birds close to his face in order
that they might prick the bubbles with their little soft beaks and
drink.
"Come down from my house, you beggar!" But this did not even frighten
the birds that flocked about Silly Peter in ever increasing numbers.
At length he came into the house, and took a rifle from his case. "Just
wait till it grows dark," he mumbled. But the lovely Vera jumped from
her chair and, with tears in her eyes, cried: "No! No! God will see you.
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