Read Mary Poppins Comes Back for Free Online Page A

South.
    "He's off!" said Mary Poppins.
    "Where?" cried Jane and Michael.

    "
Let me out, I say! Let me out!
"
    "Home—to his meadows," she replied, gazing upwards.
    "But he's dropped the cage!" said Michael, staring.
    And well he might stare, for the cage was now hurtling downwards, lurching and tumbling, end over end. They could clearly see Miss Andrew, now standing on her head and now on her feet as the cage turned through the air. Down, down, it came, heavy as a stone, and landed with a plop on the top step.
    With a fierce movement, Miss Andrew tore open the door. And it seemed to Jane and Michael as she came out that she was as large as ever and even more frightful.
    For a moment she stood there, panting, unable to speak, her face purplier than before.
    "How dare you!" she said in a throaty whisper, pointing a trembling finger at Mary Poppins. And Jane and Michael saw that her eyes were no longer angry and scornful, but full of terror.
    "You—you——" stammered Miss Andrew huskily, "you cruel, disrespectful, unkind, wicked, wilful girl—how could you, how could you?"
    Mary Poppins fixed her with a look. From half-closed eyes, she gazed revengefully at Miss Andrew for a long moment.
    "You said I didn't know how to bring up children," she said, speaking slowly and distinctly.
    Miss Andrew shrank back, trembling with fear.

    "I—I apologise," she said, gulping.
    "That I was impudent, incapable, and totally unreliable," said the quiet, implacable voice.
    Miss Andrew cowered beneath the steady gaze.
    "It was a mistake. I—I'm sorry," she stammered.
    "That I was a Young Person!" continued Mary Poppins, remorselessly.
    "I take it back," panted Miss Andrew. "All of it. Only let me go. I ask nothing more." She clasped her hands and gazed at Mary Poppins, imploringly.
    "I can't stay here," she whispered. "No, no! Not here! I beg you to let me go!"
    Mary Poppins gazed at her, long and thoughtfully. Then with a little outward movement of her hand, "Go!" she said.
    Miss Andrew gave a gasp of relief. "Oh, thank you! Thank you!" Still keeping her eyes fixed on Mary Poppins she staggered backwards down the steps, then she turned and went stumbling unevenly down the garden path.
    The Taxi-man, who all this time had been unloading the luggage, was starting up his engine and preparing to depart.
    Miss Andrew held up a trembling hand.
    "Wait!" she cried brokenly. "Wait for me. You shall have a ten shilling note for yourself if you will drive me away at once."
    The man stared at her.
    "I mean it!" she said urgently. "See," she fumbled feverishly in her pocket, "here it is. Take it—and drive on!"
    Miss Andrew tottered into the cab and collapsed upon the seat.
    The Taxi-man, still gaping, closed the door upon her.
    Then he began hurriedly re-loading the luggage. Robertson Ay had fallen asleep across a pile of trunks, but the Taxi-man did not stop to wake him. He swept him off on to the path and finished the work himself.
    "Looks as though the 'ol' girl 'ad 'ad a shock! I never saw anybody take on so. Never!" he murmured to himself as he drove off.
    But what kind of a shock it was the Taxi-man did not know and, if he lived to be a hundred, could not possibly guess....

    "Where is Miss Andrew?" said Mrs. Banks, hurrying to the front door in search of the visitor.
    "Gone," said Michael.
    "What do you mean—gone?" Mrs. Banks looked very surprised.
    "She didn't seem to want to stay," said Jane.
    Mrs. Banks frowned.
    "What does this mean, Mary Poppins?" she demanded.
    "I couldn't say, m'm, I'm sure," said Mary Poppins, calmly, as though the matter did not interest her. She glanced down at her new blouse and smoothed out a crease.
    Mrs. Banks looked from one to the other and shook her head.
    "How very extraordinary! I can't understand it."
    Just then the garden gate opened and shut with a quiet little click. Mr. Banks came tip-toeing up the path. He hesitated and waited nervously on one foot as they all turned towards him.
    "Well? Has she