d," pleaded Aggie, "your face. You'll get him all wet."

Alfred did not heed her. He was bending over the cradle in an ecstasy.
"My boy!" he cried, "my boy!" Lifting the baby in his arms he circled
the room cooing to him delightedly.

"Was he away from home when his fadder came? Oh, me, oh, my! Coochy!
Coochy! Coochy!" Suddenly he remembered to whom he owed this wondrous
treasure and forgetful of the lather on his unshaven face he rushed
toward Zoie with an overflowing heart. "My precious!" he exclaimed, and
he covered her cheek with kisses.

"Go away!" cried Zoie in disgust and she pushed Alfred from her and
brushed the hateful lather from her little pink check.

But Alfred was not to be robbed of his exaltation, and again he circled
the room, making strange gurgling sounds to Baby.

"Did a horrid old Jimmy take him away from fadder?" he said
sympathetically, in the small person's ear; and he glanced at Jimmy with
frowning disapproval. "I'd just like to see him get you away from me
again!" he added to Baby, as he tickled the mite's ear with the end of
his shaving brush. "Oh, me! oh, my!" he exclaimed in trepidation, as he
perceived a bit of lather on the infant's cheek. Then lifting the boy
high in his arms and throwing out his chest with great pride, he looked
at Jimmy with an air of superiority. "I guess I'm bad, aye?" he said.

Jimmy positively blushed. As for Zoie, she was growing more and more
impatient for a little attention to herself.

"Rock-a-bye, Baby," sang Alfred in strident tones and he swung the child
high in his arms.

Jimmy and Aggie gazed at Alfred as though hypnotised. They kept time to
his lullaby out of sheer nervousness. Suddenly Alfred stopped, held the
child from him and gazed at it in horror. "Good heavens!" he exclaimed.
The others waited breathlessly. "Look at that baby's face," commanded
Alfred.

Zoie and Aggie exchanged alarmed glances, then Zoie asked in
trepidation, "What's the matter with his face?"

"He's got a fever," declared Alfred. And he started toward the bed to
show the child to its mother.

"Go away!" shrieked Zoie, waving Alfred off in wild alarm.

"What?" asked Alfred, backing from her in surprise.

Aggie crossed quickly to Alfred's side and looked over his shoulder at
the boy. "I don't see anything wrong with its face," she said.

"It's scarlet!" persisted Alfred.

"Oh," said Jimmy with a superior air, "they're always like that."

"Nothing of the sort," snor