Then lifting the boy high in his arms and
throwing out his chest with great pride, he looked at Jimmy with
an air of superiority. "I guess I'm bad, aye?" he said.
Jimmy positively blushed. As for Zoie, she was growing more and
more impatient for a little attention to herself.
"Rock-a-bye, Baby," sang Alfred in strident tones and he swung
the child high in his arms.
Jimmy and Aggie gazed at Alfred as though hypnotised. They kept
time to his lullaby out of sheer nervousness. Suddenly Alfred
stopped, held the child from him and gazed at it in horror.
"Good heavens!" he exclaimed. The others waited breathlessly.
"Look at that baby's face," commanded Alfred.
Zoie and Aggie exchanged alarmed glances, then Zoie asked in
trepidation, "What's the matter with his face?"
"He's got a fever," declared Alfred. And he started toward the
bed to show the child to its mother.
"Go away!" shrieked Zoie, waving Alfred off in wild alarm.
"What?" asked Alfred, backing from her in surprise.
Aggie crossed quickly to Alfred's side and looked over his
shoulder at the boy. "I don't see anything wrong with its face,"
she said.
"It's scarlet!" persisted Alfred.
"Oh," said Jimmy with a superior air, "they're always like that."
"Nothing of the sort," snorted Alfred, and he glared at Jimmy
threateningly. "You've frozen the child parading him around the
streets.
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