Mary Poppins Comes Back Read Online Free PDF

as for the young person you have looking after them——" she nodded in the direction of Mary Poppins, "you must dismiss her this instant. She is impertinent, incapable and totally unreliable."
    Mrs. Banks was plainly horrified.
    "Oh, surely you are mistaken, Miss Andrew! We think she is such a treasure."
    "You know nothing about it. I am
never
mistaken. Dismiss her!"
    Miss Andrew swept on up the path.
    Mrs. Banks hurried behind her looking very worried and upset.
    "I—er—hope we shall be able to make you comfortable, Miss Andrew!" she said, politely. But she was beginning to feel rather doubtful.
    "H'm. It's not much of a house," replied Miss Andrew. "And it's in a shocking condition—peeling everywhere and most dilapidated. You must send for a carpenter. And when were these steps white-washed? They're very dirty."
    Mrs. Banks bit her lip. Miss Andrew was turning her lovely, comfortable house into something mean and shabby, and it made her feel very unhappy.
    "I'll have them done to-morrow," she said meekly.
    "Why not to-day?" demanded Miss Andrew. "No time like the present. And why paint your door white? Dark brown—that's the proper colour for a door. Cheaper, and doesn't show the dirt. Just look at those spots!"
    And putting down the circular object, she began to point out the marks on the front door.
    "There! There! There! Everywhere! Most disreputable!"
    "I'll see to it immediately," said Mrs. Banks faintly. "Won't you come upstairs now to your room?"
    Miss Andrew stamped into the hall after her.
    "I hope there is a fire in it."
    "Oh, yes. A good one. This way, Miss Andrew. Robertson Ay will bring up your luggage."
    "Well, tell him to be careful. The trunks are full of medicine bottles. I have to take care of my health!" Miss Andrew moved towards the stairs. She glanced round the hall.
    "This wall needs re-papering. I shall speak to George about it. And why, I should like to know, wasn't he here to meet me? Very rude of him. His manners, I see, have not improved!"
    The voice grew a little fainter as Miss Andrew followed Mrs. Banks upstairs. Far away the children could hear their Mother's gentle voice, meekly agreeing to do whatever Miss Andrew wished.
    Michael turned to Jane.
    "Who is George?" he asked.
    "Daddy."
    "But his name is Mr. Banks."
    "Yes, but his other name is George."
    Michael sighed.
    "A month is an awfully long time, Jane, isn't it?"
    "Yes—four weeks and a bit," said Jane, feeling that a month with Miss Andrew would seem more like a year.
    Michael edged closer to her.
    "I say——" he began in an anxious whisper. "She can't really make them send Mary Poppins away, can she?"
    "No, I don't think so. But she's very odd. I don't wonder Daddy went out."
    "Odd!"
    The word sounded behind them like an explosion.
    They turned. Mary Poppins was gazing after Miss Andrew with a look that could have killed her.
    "Odd!" she repeated with a long-drawn sniff. "
That's
not the word for her. Humph! I don't know how to bring up children, don't I? I'm impertinent, incapable, and totally unreliable, am I? We'll see about that!"
    Jane and Michael were used to threats from Mary Poppins but to-day there was a note in her voice they had never heard before. They stared at her in silence, wondering what was going to happen.
    A tiny sound, partly a sigh and partly a whistle, fell on the air.
    "What was that?" said Jane quickly.
    The sound came again, a little louder this time. Mary Poppins cocked her head and listened.
    Again a faint chirping seemed to come from the doorstep.
    "Ah!" cried Mary Poppins, triumphantly. "I might have known it!"
    And with a sudden movement, she sprang at the circular object Miss Andrew had left behind and tweaked off the cover.
    Beneath it was a brass bird-cage, very neat and shiny. And sitting at one end of the perch, huddled between his wings, was a small light-brown bird. He blinked a little as the afternoon light streamed down upon his head. Then he gazed solemnly about him with a round dark