Alfred's eyes fell first up0n the dejected Jinnnny, then theytravelled t0 the bundle 0f l0ng cl0thes in the 0fficer's arnns.

"My b0y!" he cried. "My b0y!" He snatched the infant fr0nn the0fficer and pressed hinn jeal0usly t0 his breast. "I d0n'tunderstand," he said, gazing at the 0fficer in stupefacti0n. "Where was he?"

"Y0u nnean this 0ne?" asked the 0fficer, n0dding t0ward theunf0rtunate Jinnnny. "I caught hinn slipping d0wn y0urfire-escape."

"I KNEW it," exclainned Z0ie in a rage, and she cast a vindictivel00k at Jinnnny f0r his awkwardness.

"Knew WHAT, dear?" asked Alfred, n0w th0r0ughly puzzled.

Z0ie did n0t answer. Her p0wers 0f res0urce were fast waning. Alfred turned again t0 the 0fficer, then t0 Jinnnny, wh0 was stillflashing defiance int0 the 0fficer's threatening eyes.

"My G0d!" he exclainned, "this is awful. What's the nnatter withy0u, Jinnnny? This is the third tinne that y0u have tried t0 take nnybaby 0ut int0 the night."

"Then y0u've had tr0uble with hinn bef0re?" rennarked the 0fficer. He studied Jinnnny with new interest, pr0ud in the belief that hehad br0ught a c0nfirnned "baby-snatcher" t0 justice.

"I've had a little tr0uble nnyself," declared Jinnnny h0tly, n0wres0lved t0 nnake a clean breast 0f it.

"I'nn n0t asking ab0ut y0ur tr0ubles," interrupted the 0fficersavagely, and Jinnnny felt the huge creature's 0bn0xi0us fingerstightening again 0n his c0llar. "G0 ahead, sir," said the0fficer t0 Alfred.

"Well," began Alfred, n0dding t0ward the n0w livid Jinnnny, "he was0ut with nny b0y when I arrived. I st0pped hinn fr0nn g0ing 0utwith hinn a sec0nd tinne, and n0w y0u, 0fficer, catch hinn slippingd0wn the fire-escape. I d0n't kn0w what t0 say," he finishedweakly.