“'I can't help it, Pete,' says the police cap'n. ''Twas me or the Vice Suppression crowd. They've been on to you for two weeks back. I only just got in ahead of 'em as it was. No, you'll have to go along with the rest and take your chances. Quiet now, everybody, or you'll get it harder,' he roars, givin' orders like the skipper of a passenger boat. 'Stand in line and wait your turns for the wagon.'
“Jonadab grabbed me by the wrist. He was pale and shakin' all over.
“'Oh, Lordy!' says he, 'we're took up. Will we have to go to jail, do you think?'
“'I don't know,' I says, disgusted. 'I presume likely we will. Did you dream anything like this? You'd better see if you can't dream yourself out now.' Twas rubbin' it in, but I was mad.
“'Oh! oh!' says he, flappin' his hands. 'And me a deacon of the church! Will folks know it, do you think?'
“'Will they know it! Sounds as if they knew it already. Just listen to that.'
“The first wagon full of prizes was bein' loaded in down at the front door, and the crowd outside was cheerin' 'em. Judgin' by the whoops and hurrahs there wa'n't no less than a million folks at the show, and they was gettin' the wuth of admission.
“'Oh, dear!' groans Jonadab. 'And it'll be in the papers and all! I can't stand this.'
“And afore I could stop him he'd run over and tackled the head policeman.
“'Mister—Mister Cap'n,' he says, pantin', 'there's been a mistake, an awful mis—take—'