"They are lost children," said the policeman who looked like a soldier, with the gold braid on his cap. "Our officers find them on the street, and bring them here."
"And how do their fathers and mothers find them?" asked Aunt Lu.
"Oh, they come here looking for them, the same as you two ladies are doing. The children are never lost very long. You see they're so little they can't tell where they live, or we'd send them home ourselves. Are any of these the lost children you are looking for?"
"Oh, no! Not one!" exclaimed Mother Brown. It took only one look to show her and Aunt Lu that Bunny and Sue were not among the lost children then in the police station.
"Well, I wish some of these were yours," returned the officer. "Especially those two crying ones. They've cried ever since they came here."
"Boo-hoo!" cried two of the lost children. They seemed to be afraid, more than were the others. The others rather liked it. One boy was playing with a policeman's hat, while a little girl was trying to see if she was as tall as a policeman's long club.
"Will they stay here long?" asked Aunt Lu.
"Oh, no, not very long," said the officer.
"Their mothers will miss them soon, and come to look for them. So none of these are yours?" he asked.
"No, but I wish they were," said Mother Brown. "Oh, what has happened to Bunny and Sue?" she asked, and there were tears in her eyes.