When Jimmy again had the courage to lift his eyes he was confronted by
the contemptuous gaze of Zoie, who was sitting up in bed and regarding
him with undisguised disapproval.
"Why didn't you tell him what the baby's name is?" she demanded.
"How do I know what the baby's name is?" retorted Jimmy savagely.
"Sh! sh!" cautioned Aggie as she glanced nervously toward the door
through which Alfred had just passed.
"What does it matter WHAT the baby's name is so long as we have to send
it back?"
"I'll NOT send it back," declared Zoie emphatically, "at least not until
morning. That will give Jimmy a whole night to get another one."
"Another!" shrieked Jimmy. "See here, you two can't be changing babies
every five minutes without Alfred knowing it. Even HE has SOME sense."
"Nonsense!" answered Aggie shortly. "You know perfectly well that all
young babies look just alike. Their own mothers couldn't tell them
apart, if it weren't for their clothes."
"But where can we GET another?" asked Zoie.
Before Aggie could answer, Alfred was again heard calling from the next
room. Apparently all his anger had subsided, for he inquired in the most
amiable tone as to what baby might be doing and how he might be feeling.
Aggie crossed quickly to the door, and sweetly reassured the anxious
father, then she closed the door softly and turned to Zoie and Jimmy
with a new inspiration lighting her face. "I have it," she exclaimed
ecstatically.
Jimmy regarded his spouse with grave suspicion.
"Now see here," he objected, "every time YOU 'HAVE IT,' I DO IT. The
NEXT time you 'HAVE IT' YOU DO IT!"
The emphasis with which Jimmy made his declaration deserved
consideration, but to his amazement it was entirely ignored by both
women. Hopping quickly out of bed, without even glancing in his
direction, Zoie gave her entire attention to Aggie. "What is it?" she
asked eagerly.
"There must be OTHER babies' Homes," said Aggie, and she glanced at
Jimmy from her superior height.
"They aren't open all night like corner drug stores," growled Jimmy.
"Well, they ought to be," decided Zoie.
"And surely," argued Aggie, "in an extraordinary case--like----"
"This was an 'extraordinary case,'" declared Jimmy, "and you saw what
happened this time, and the Superintendent is a friend of mine--at least
he WAS a friend of mine." And with that Jimmy sat himself down on the
far corner of the couch and proceeded to ruminate on the havoc that
these two women had wrought in his once tranquil life.