"Stop a minute," said the officer, detaining him by the arm, for his appearance and haste inspired suspicion. He was bare-headed, for his hat had fallen off, and he had not deemed it prudent to stop long enough to pick it up.
"I'm in a great hurry," panted the thief. "My youngest child is in a fit, and I am running for a physician."
This explanation seemed plausible, and the policeman, who was himself the father of a family, was on the point of releasing him, when the first officer came up.
"Hold on to him," he said; "he's just broken away from me."
"That's it, is it?" said the second policeman. "He told me he was after a doctor for his youngest child."
"I think he'll need a doctor himself," said the first, "if he tries another of his games. You didn't stop to say good-by, my man."
"I told you I had an important engagement," said the pickpocket, sulkily,—"one that I cared more about than the money. Where's the boy?"
"I had to leave him to go after you."
"That's a pretty way to manage; you let the thief go in order to chase his victim."
"You're an able-bodied victim," said the policeman, laughing.