Perhaps she was a little ashamed of having been so frightened; perhaps she was still a little afraid of Dudu; and most of all, I think, she had a great curiosity to find out more about the mysterious bird, and thought it best to leave Hugh to face his own adventures.
"If Dudu thinks I've told Cheri all about his funny ways," she thought, "perhaps he'll be angry and not do any more queer things." The snow was still, as I said, thick on the ground, thicker, indeed, than the day before.

But the children managed to amuse themselves very well.

Marcelline would not hear of their going out, not even as far as the chickens' house, but she fetched Nibble to pay them a visit in the afternoon, and they had great fun with him.
"He looks very happy, doesn't he, Cheri ?" said Jeanne.

"I am sure Houpet has been kind to him.

What a pity pets can't speak, isn't it?
they could tell us such nice funny things." "Yes," said Hugh, "I've often thought that, and I often have thought Nibble could speak if he liked." "_Houpet_ could, I'm quite sure," said Jeanne, "and I believe Dudu and he do speak to each other.