"The luck of
these poor," she murmured.

"The luck of US," corrected Aggie, whose spirits were now soaring. Then
she turned to Jimmy with growing enthusiasm. "Just think of it, dear,"
she said, "Fate has sent us a baby to our very door."

"Well," declared Jimmy, again beginning to show signs of fight, "if
Fate has sent a baby to the door, you don't need me," and with that he
snatched his coat from the crib.

"Wait, Jimmy," again commanded Aggie, and she took his coat gently but
firmly from him.

"Now, see here," argued Jimmy, trying to get free from his strong-minded
spouse, "you know perfectly well that that washerwoman isn't going to
let us have that baby."

"Nonsense," called Zoie over her shoulder, while she scribbled a hurried
note to the washerwoman. "If she won't let us have it 'for keeps,' I'll
just 'rent it.'"

"Good Lord!" exclaimed Jimmy in genuine horror. "Warm, fresh,
palpitating babies rented as you would rent a gas stove!"

"That's all a pose," declared Aggie, in a matter-of-fact tone. "You
think babies 'little red worms,' you've said so."

Jimmy could not deny it.

"She'll be only too glad to rent it," declared Zoie, as she glanced
hurriedly through the note just written, and slipped it, together with
a bill, into an envelope. "I'll pay her anything. It's only until I can
get another one."

"Another!" shouted Jimmy, and his eyes turned heavenward for help. "An
endless chain with me to put the links together!"

"Don't be so theatrical," said Aggie, irritably, as she took up Jimmy's
coat and prepared to get him into it.

"Why DO you make such a fuss about NOTHING," sighed Zoie.

"Nothing?" echoed Jimmy, and he looked at her with wondering eyes.
"I crawl about like a thief in the night snatching babies from their
mother's breasts, and you call THAT nothing?"

"You don't have to 'CRAWL,'" reminded Zoie, "you can take a taxi."

"Here's your coat, dear," said Aggie graciously, as she endeavoured to
slip Jimmy's limp arms into the sleeves of the garment.

"You can take Maggie with you," said Zoie, with the air of conferring a
distinct favour upon him.

"And the wash on my lap," added Jimmy sarcastically.

"No," said Zoie, unruffled by Jimmy's ungracious behaviour. "We'll send
the wash later."

"That's very kind of you," sneered Jimmy, as he unconsciously allowed
his arms to slip into the sleeves of the coat Aggie was urging upon him.

"All you need to do," said Aggie complacently, "is