t?"

The little one nodded.

"Oh?" Pete raised his eyebrows. "So you _do_ know what I'm saying." He
watched the child for a few minutes, then turned his attention to the
range. The rush hour was on and he soon forgot the little boy on the
stool ...

Whenever possible during the lunch-hour rush, Jane stopped to smile and
talk to the child. Once she asked, "Don't you know where your mama and
daddy are?"

He just stared at her, unblinking, his big eyes soft and sad-looking.

The girl studied him for a moment, then she picked up a cookie and gave
it to him. "Can you tell me your name?" she asked hopefully.

His lips parted. Cookie crumbs fell off his chin and from the corners of
his mouth, but he spoke no words.

She sighed, turned, and went out to the clattering throng with laden
plates of food.

For a while Jane was so busy she almost forgot the young one. But
finally people began to linger more over their food, the clinking of
dishes grew quieter and Pete took time for a cup of coffee. His sweating
face was haggard. He stared sullenly at the little boy and shook his
head.

"Shouldn't be such things as kids," he muttered. "Nothing but a pain in
the neck!"

Jane came through the door. "It gets worse all the time," she groaned.
She turned to the little boy. "Did you have something to eat?"

"I didn't know what to fix for him," Pete said. "How about some beef
stew? Do you think he'd go for that?"

Jane hesitated. "I--I don't know. Try it."

Pete ladled up a bowl of steaming stew. Jane took it and put it on the
table. She took a bit on a spoon, blew on it, then held it out. The
child opened his mouth. She smiled and slowly fed him the stew.

"How old do you think he is?" Pete asked.

The girl hesitated, opened her mouth, but said nothing.

"About two and a half, I'd guess," Pete answered himself. "Maybe three."
Jane nodded and he turned back to cleaning the stove.

"Don't you want some more stew?" Jane asked as she offered the small one
another spoonful.

The little mouth didn't open.

"Guess you've had enough," she said, smiling.

Pete glanced up. "Why don't you leave now, Jane. You're going to have
to see the Patrol about that kid. I can take care of things here."

She stood thinking for a moment. "Can I use an extra respirator?"

"You can't take him out without one!" Pete replied. He opened a locker
and pulled out a transparent facepiece. "I think this'll tighten down
enough to fit his face."