″‘I’m Dolly,’ the pigeon said. ‘And the Pill Building’s close by. That great big building over there... See? Right up on top, there’s a little tower. And in that tower, there’s a room. And no one lives in it. If you’re fast, you can move into that room. But don’t waste any time, otherwise it might be taken.‘”
″‘Who’s Zaza?’ Pluck asked.
‘A friend of mine,’ Mr. Penn said. ‘Zaza is a cockroach.’
‘A cockr-’ Pluck blurted in surprise, but Mr. Penn quickly gave him a shove and called out, ‘Quickly, please! Hurry... otherwise she’ll spray Zaza dead.‘”
“When he went to bed that night, he was very happy. I have a place to live, he thought. And I’ve already got two friends. No, three. Dolly and Mr. Penn and Zaza.”
“The major climbed up onto Longmount just behind his head. The adjutant climbed on too, but near the tail. ‘We always ride him like this,’ the Major explained. ‘Longmount is afraid that otherwise he’ll sag... he never let’s anyone sit in the middle.‘”
“Pluck wasn’t the kind of boy who cried easily. In fact he never cried at all, but now he felt a strange lump in his throat and tears started to run down his cheeks. His little friend Zaza was dead.”
“There’s at least a hundred, thought Mrs. Brightner. I don’t dare to go outside... but I have to, because I forgot the blue silk thread. I have to go back to my flat to get it. I’ll just have to be brave... they’re only birds after all. They can’t hurt me...”
″‘Hmmm...’ the doorman said. ‘You’re back in your room, I see.’
‘Yes,’ said Pluck. ‘I’m back in my own room. And you can take Mrs. Brightner’s things with you if you like.’
‘So... I hope you’re going to keep your room clean from now on,’ the doorman said sternly.
‘Oh, yes, I’ll make sure of it,’ said Pluck.”