“Burglars!” exclaimed Zoie, for want of anything better to suggest. “Burglars?” repeated Alfred with a superior air; “nonsense! Nonsense! Here,” he said, turning to Jimmy, “you hold the boys and I'll go see----” and before Jimmy was aware of the honour about to be thrust upon him, he felt three red, spineless morsels, wriggling about in his arms. He made what lap he could for the armful, and sat up in a stiff, strained attitude on the edge of the couch. In the meantime, Alfred had strode into the adjoining room with the air of a conqueror. Aggie looked at Zoie, with dreadful foreboding. “You don't suppose it could be?” she paused. “My baby!” shrieked the voice of the Italian mother from the adjoining room. “Where IS he?” Regardless of the discomfort of his three disgruntled charges, Jimmy began to circle the room. So agitated was his mind that he could scarcely hear Aggie, who was reporting proceedings from her place at the bedroom door. “She's come up the fire-escape,” cried Aggie; “she's beating Alfred to death.” “What?” shrieked Zoie, making a flying leap from her coverlets. “She's locking him in the bathroom,” declared Aggie, and with that she disappeared from the room, bent on rescue. “My Alfred!” cried Zoie, tragically, and she started in pursuit of Aggie. “Wait a minute,” called Jimmy, who had not yet been able to find a satisfactory place in which to deposit his armful of clothes and humanity. “What shall I do with these things?” “Eat 'em,” was Zoie's helpful retort, as the trailing end of her negligee disappeared from the room. CHAPTER XXIX Now, had Jimmy been less perturbed during the latter part of this commotion, he might have heard the bell of the outside door, which had been ringing violently for some minutes. 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.