ying," corrected the Policeman; "--running and flying
to _me_." (He said it proudly.) "The squirrels and the robin-redbreasts,
and the sparrows, all follow me here from the Park of a night, knowing I
protect 'em."

"Oh?" murmured Gwendolyn. "You protect 'em?" She looked sidewise at
Jane, reflecting that the nurse had given him quite another character.

"Yes; and I protect old, old people."

"Huh!" snorted the Man-Who-Makes-Faces. "You protect old people, eh?
Well, how about old _organ-grinders?_"

"You ought to know," answered the Officer promptly. "I guess you didn't
give me that black eye for nothing."

Whereat the little old gentleman suddenly subsided into silence.

"Yes, I protect old people," reiterated the other, "and the blind, of
course, and the trees and the flowers and the fountains. Also, the
statues. There's the General, for instance. If I didn't watch out, folks
would scribble on him with chalk."

Gwendolyn assented. Once more she was beginning to have belief in him.

"Then," he resumed, "I look after the children, so that--"

She started. The children!--_he?_ "But," she interrupted, "Jane's
always told me that you grab little boys and girls _and carry 'em off_."
Then, fairly shook at her own boldness.

"I never!" denied Jane, sullenly.

He laughed. "I _do_ carry 'em off. But _where?_"

"I don't know,"--in a flutter.

"Tell her," urged the little old gentleman.

The Policeman leaned his feet against the bill-board. "I'm the man,"
said he, "that takes lost little kids to their fathers and mothers."

To their fathers and mothers! Gwendolyn came round upon Jane, lifting
accusing eyes, pointing an accusing finger, "So!" she breathed. "You
told me he stole 'em! It isn't _true!_" And she wiggled the finger.

Jane edged away, head on one side "Oh, I was jokin' you," she declared
lightly. But--accidentally--- she turned aside her grinning front face
and gave the others a glimpse of the back one. And each noted how the
square mouth was trembling with anxiety.

"Ah-ha!" exclaimed Gwendolyn, triumphantly. "I'm finding you out!"

The Policeman crossed his feet against the bill-board, taking care not
to injure any of the articles there displayed. "Yes, I've taken a lot of
lost little kids to their fathers and mothers," he repeated. "And I was
just wondering if you--"

She gave him no chance to finish his sentence. In her joy at finding
that here was another friend, she ran to him and leaned to smi