night, though it was but past ten o'clock, when Abdiel all at once
jumped right up on his four legs, cocked his ears, listened, leaped
off the bed, ran to the door, and began to bark furiously. He was
suddenly blinded by the glare of a bull's-eye-lantern, and received a
kick that knocked all the bark out of him, and threw him to the other
side of the room. A huge policeman strode quietly in, sending the
glare of his bull's-eye all about the room like a vital, inquiring
glance. It discovered, one after the other, every member of the
family. So tired was Clare, however, that he did not wake until seized
by a rough hand, and at one pull dragged standing on the floor.

"Take care of the baby!" he cried, while yet not half awake.

"_I'll_ take care o' the baby, never fear!--an' o' you too, you young
rascal!" returned the policeman.

He roused Tommy, who was wide awake, but pretending to be asleep, with
a gentle kick.

"Up ye get!" he said; and Tommy got up, rubbing his ferret eyes.

"Come along!" said the policeman.

"Where to?" asked Clare.

"You'll see when you get there."

"But I can't leave baby!"

"Baby must come along too," answered the policeman, more gently, for