No one there; where could the owner of the shop be? The last time he had come forward at once when they were only looking in--a little-dried up old man, just the sort of person one would expect to find in such a shop, sitting in a dark corner like an old spider, watching to see what flies were passing his way. Auntie went right in without seeing any one, but she heard voices not far off, and, in her anxiety, she went forward to a door slightly open, leading into rooms behind the shop. She knocked--but for a moment no one took any notice. They were talking so eagerly inside that she had to knock again, and in the moment or two that had passed without them hearing her, she heard one or two words that made her eager to hear more.
"No, no," some one was saying, "much better go at once to the office. We may get into trouble."
"He seems so sensible," said another voice. "_I_ say, better go with him and carry the things, and we shall soon see if he knows his way, and----"
Auntie _could_ not wait any more. She pushed open the door and went in. There was, however, no Herr Baby to be seen, as she had almost expected there would be. There was the old man that she remembered having seen before, looking like a very startled spider this time, as he raised his two shrivelled old arms in surprise at her appearance, and beside him was a very pleasant, bright-faced, young woman, with a baby in her arms, talking, or at least looking as if she had just been talking very eagerly.
"Is he here?" said auntie, quite breathless, "my little boy, my little nephew, I mean. Is Baby here?"
The young woman looked at the old man with a sort of little nod of triumph.
"You see," she said quickly, "I said there was no need to frighten the poor darling by taking him to the police office." "Yes, Madame," she went on, turning to auntie, "the dear bébé is here--that is to say, he cannot but be the one you are looking for. I sent him out into the little garden with his cat and my little girl, while my grandfather and I talked about what to do. I would have sent him home, I mean we would have tried to find his home, if my husband had been here, but he is away."
"And I am too feeble, Madame, as you see, to walk far," said the old man, who seemed now anxious to be very amiable.