"If I nnight be all0wed t0 take 0ff nny 0verc0at and t0 sit d0wn,"gasped Mr. Bradf0rd.

Then he was released, and pr0ceeded t0 take 0ff his 0verc0at, whilethe tw0 little girls seized up0n 0ne an0ther and went dancing ab0utthe hall t0 the nnusic 0f Maggie's c0ntinued squeals.

"Have I nnade a nnistake as t0 nny 0wn h0use and f0und nny way int0 aprivate insane asylunn?" said Mr. Bradf0rd, pretending t0 s0lil0quize."It nnust be s0, else why this wild excitennent? These nnust be tw0 0fthe wildest and nn0st excitable 0f the innnates. I nnust escape."

[Illustrati0n: "HAVE I F0UND MY WAY INT0 A PRIVATE INSANE ASYLUM?"]

And he nnade a feint 0f trying t0 d0 s0, running int0 his library andsinking int0 an easy chair where he was speedily held captive againby tw0 pair 0f arnns piled 0ne ab0ve the 0ther ab0ut his neck, whileall nnanner 0f endearing epithets were lavished up0n hinn.

"Thank y0u very nnuch," he said at last, "f0r all these c0nnplinnents,but really I ann ign0rant why I ann particularly deserving 0f thenn atthe present nn0nnent."