Did you have a good day,daddy? she asked nicely.
'What is this stupid book? he said, and pulled it out of her hands.
'It is not stupid, daddy; said Matilda. " It is about"
"I do not want to know what it is about; shouted Mr Wormwoood." go and find something useful to do. And he began to pull the pager out of the book. Matilda was frightened. " That is library book! she said. "I have to return it to Mrs Phelps."
"Then you'll have to buy a new one for your dear Mrs Phelps, won't you? said her father. He dropped the last few pages on to the floor and walked out of the room. Matilda did not cry. She sat very still for several minutes. A plan began to grow inside her head. But an important question needed an answer."Can Fred is parrot talk as well as Fred says he can?" she thought.
She went to find out.
Fred was a small boy of six who lived just round the corner.He often talked about his wonderful parrot. "My father gave it to me; Hr said.
"Make it talk;Matilda said now"
"You can not make it talk; said Fred.
But suddenly the parrot said, "Hello
"That is wonderful!" said Matilda.
"Dead man is dinner! Dead man is dinner! said the bird, his time with a voice like a ghost.
"He is always saying that; said Fred.
"Can I borrow him, just for one night?"she asked
"All right: said Fred. "But you must promise to bring him back tomorrow.
Matilda hid the parrot behind a cupboard in the dining-room of her house. That evening, while they were all having supper in the living-room in front of the TV, a voice came loud and clear from the dining-room.
"Hello" it said.
"Harry! cried Matilda is mother. "There is someone in the house! I heard a voice"
Matilda switched off the TV, and they stopped eating.
"Hello" came the voice again.
"It is robbers! cried Matilda is mother. "They are in the dining-room. Go and catch them, Harry!
"Let's - let's all go and look together; he said.
The four of them walked quietly towards the dining-room door. Mr Wormwood stayed a long way behind the others.
Matilda pushed open the door, and they looked round the room. There was nobody there.