That dreamily question'd him how he dared?
And suddenly saw, with extreme surprise,
It was a policeman at whom I stared.
The five of us stood in the pleasant hall;
And four were policemen, and one was I;
And Harry had never come home at all;
And the clock struck one with a gasping sigh.
My heart grew cold, and my courage ran down;
I pinch'd my finger—I tried not to scream—
I felt like a creature about to drown,