Mr. Popper and all 12 penguins are placed in a patrol wagon and brought to the police station. The desk sergeant explains that the theater manager “is pretty mad at the way you busted into his theater” (131) and sets cash bail at $500 for Mr. Popper and $100 each for the penguins. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Popper have that much cash available, and their final salary payment will not arrive until the end of the week. The birds start to fail in the jail cell due to “the lack of exercise, combined with the heat” (132). Mr. Popper knows that Mr. Greenbaum is due to return to New York on Saturday from his trip to California, and he knows that his employer will help him with the bail.

A visitor does arrive at the jail on Saturday, but it is Admiral Drake. He heard about Mr. Popper’s problem at a dinner given for him by the Mayor and has come to help. Mr. Popper tells him the story of Captain Cook’s illness, his cure in the form of Greta, and the birth of the baby penguins.

Admiral Cook tells Mr.