"Well, you had better start explaining." Patty got up, leaving the telephone on the floor near Heck, who was busy rubbing his throbbing jaw.
Just then the telephone rang.
Heck picked up the receiver. "Yes?" he said.
"Are you the party who asked for the police?" the operator demanded.
"No, I'm not," Heck said truthfully.
"Well, someone at that number did. Do you still want the police?"
"No."
"Then why did you—"
"It was the children," Heck blurted. "I'm terribly sorry, operator. You know how children will play with the phone."
"At three o'clock in the morning?" the operator asked.