“Ring—ring the bell like mad. I’ll pick it up!” Eleanor exclaimed, excitably.
“Open the door—Anne—hurry up! We’ve found a baby!” called Polly, leaning over the iron rail that projected over the area door, in front of the windows.
Both girls forgot that they had latch keys, but Mrs. Evans sat nearest the window where Polly stood, and quickly answered her call. Eleanor, meanwhile, had carefully picked up the rolled-up baby and, the moment the door was flung open, carried it indoors.
“Where did you find it?” exclaimed four amazed women.
“Right at our door—in the vestibule,” said Eleanor, placing her bundle on the divan and proceeding to open it.
“Wasn’t anyone in sight?” asked Mrs. Latimer, cautiously.
“Not that we noticed; but, of course, we never thought to look, when we found what was in the bundle,” explained Polly, nervously eager to assist Eleanor in what she was doing.
Before the swaddling blankets were released from the baby, it began to utter baby-talk. The females, grouped closely in front of the divan, smiled appreciatively.
Finally the last wrapper, which was of mosquito netting, came off, and there lay a chubby little fellow of about fifteen months. He had a fist in his mouth, and with the other dimpled hand he clutched at Polly’s hair as she leaned over him.
“Oh! Isn’t he a darling! He must belong to a neighbor!” exclaimed Mrs. Stewart.