AMERICAN. Oh! Very well, arrest him; do your duty. This baby has typhus. [At the word "typhus" the OFFICIAL stops.] AMERICAN. [Making gestures] First-class typhus, black typhus, schwarzen typhus. Now you have it. I'm kind o' sorry for you and the gentleman in buttons. Do your duty! OFFICIAL. Typhus? Der Bub--die baby hat typhus? AMERICAN. I'm telling you. OFFICIAL. Gott im Himmel! AMERICAN. [Spotting the GERMAN in the little throng] here's a gentleman will corroborate me. OFFICIAL. [Much disturbed, and signing to the POLICEMAN to stand clear] Typhus! 'Aber das ist grasslich'! AMERICAN. I kind o' thought you'd feel like that. OFFICIAL. 'Die Sanitatsmachine! Gleich'! [A PORTER goes to get it. From either side the broken half-moon of persons stand gazing at the LITTLE MAN, who sits unhappily dandling the BABY in the centre.] OFFICIAL. [Raising his hands] 'Was zu thun'? AMERICAN. Guess you'd better isolate the baby. [A silence, during which the LITTLE MAN is heard faintly whistling and clucking to the BABY.] OFFICIAL. [Referring once more to his telegram] "'Rest gentleman mit black baby." [Shaking his head] Wir must de gentleman hold. [To the GERMAN] 'Bitte, mein Herr, sagen Sie ihm, den Buben zu niedersetzen'. [He makes the gesture of deposit.] GERMAN. [To the LITTLE MAN] He say: Put down the baby. [The LITTLE MAN shakes his head, and continues to dandle the BABY.] OFFICIAL. You must. [The LITTLE MAN glowers, in silence.] ENGLISHMAN. [In background--muttering] Good man! GERMAN. His spirit ever denies. OFFICIAL. [Again making his gesture] 'Aber er muss'! [The LITTLE MAN makes a face at him.] 'Sag' Ihm': Instantly put down baby, and komm' mit us. [The BABY wails.] LITTLE MAN. Leave the poor ill baby here alone? Be--be--be d---d to you! AMERICAN. [Jumping on to a trunk--with enthusiasm] Bully! [The ENGLISH clap their hands; the DUTCH YOUTH laughs. The OFFICIAL is muttering, greatly incensed.] AMERICAN. What does that body-snatcher say? GERMAN. He say this man use the baby to save himself from arrest. Very smart he say. AMERICAN. I judge you do him an injustice. [Showing off the LITTLE MAN with a sweep of his arm.] This is a white man. He's got a black baby, and he won' leave it in the lurch. Guess we would all act noble that way, give us the chance. [The LITTLE MAN rises, holding out the BABY, and advances a step or two. The half-moon at once gives, increasing its size; the AMERICAN climbs on to a higher trunk. The LITTLE MAN retires and again sits down.] AMERICAN. [Addressing the OFFICIAL] Guess you'd better go out of business and wait for the mother. OFFICIAL. [Stamping his foot] Die Mutter sall 'rested be for taking out baby mit typhus. Ha! [To the LITTLE MAN] Put ze baby down! [The LITTLE MAN smiles.] Do you 'ear?