“We’ll have to notify the police, of course,” said Mrs. Bobbsey, in a whisper, for Baby May was now asleep and had been put to bed in a cradle that Dinah brought down from the attic—the cradle Flossie and Freddie had once cuddled in.
“The police! Are you going to have her arrested?” cried Freddie.
“Hush! Not so loud! You’ll waken her!” warned his mother, holding up a finger.
“What you going to tell the police for, Daddy?” asked Flossie, in a whisper.
“Because it is the right thing to do,” said Mr. Bobbsey. “This baby may have been stolen by this strange old woman. In that case Baby May’s father and mother will be wild with grief until they get her back. I must find out from the police if there is any alarm over a kidnapped child. I’ll do it before I go to the office.”
“Please do it before we go to school,” begged Nan. “I want to tell the girls all about Baby May.”
Mr. Bobbsey looked at the clock. There was still twenty minutes before the children need start for school, and he could do considerable telephoning in that time. So he called up police headquarters and made a report of the baby being found on his steps.
“Have you any alarm of a child having been kidnapped anywhere around here?” asked Mr. Bobbsey.
“No,” answered the officer at police headquarters. “But if we hear of any we’ll let you know.”
“Have any of your men seen about the town this strange old woman with a green umbrella and a faded shawl?” asked Mr. Bobbsey, and the twins and Mrs. Bobbsey waited anxiously for the reply. As they could not hear what was said by the police officer, Mr. Bobbsey told them.