As it was, he
was wholly unprepared for the flying advent of Maggie.
"Oh, plaze, sir," she cried, pointing with trembling fingers
toward the babes in Jimmy's arms, "me fadder's coming right
behind me. He's a-lookin' for you sir."
"For me," murmured Jimmy, wondering vaguely why everybody on
earth seemed to be looking for HIM.
"Put 'em down, sir," cried Maggie, still pointing to the three
babies, "put 'em down. He's liable to wallop you."
"Put 'em where?" asked Jimmy, now utterly confused as to which
way to turn.
"There," said Maggie, and she pointed to the cradle beneath his
very eyes.
"Of course," said Jimmy vapidly, and he sank on his knees and
strove to let the wobbly creatures down easily.
Bang went the outside door.
"That's Pa now," cried Maggie. "Oh hide, sir, hide." And with
that disconcerting warning, she too deserted him.
"Hide where?" gasped Jimmy.
There was a moment's awful silence. Jimmy rose very cautiously
from the cradle, his eyes sought the armchair. It had always
betrayed him. He glanced toward the window. It was twelve
stories to the pavement. He looked towards the opposite door;
beyond that was the mad Italian woman. His one chance lay in
slipping unnoticed through the hallway; he made a determined dash
in that direction, but no sooner had he put his head through the
door, than he drew it back quickly.
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