Tot was sitting on the door-step waiting for her. He wore a clean sailor waist and blue brownie overalls, and his face and hands had been freshly washed for the important occasion.
When he saw Dot's basket his eyes grew big and round, and he asked, "What you got?"
"Oh, that's our lunch," said the girl, setting down her burden with a sigh of relief.
"What's lunch?" demanded Tot.
"Why—something to eat, you know," she answered.
"Oh," said Tot. Then he looked at the basket with new interest and asked, "Basket all full somefin' t'eat?"
"Yes," replied Dot, with some pride. "I begged cook to give me all the good things she had in the pantry, 'cause you and I are going to have a picnic, and eat our lunch down by the river. So she filled it way up to the top, 'cause cook always does anything I ask. And it's a great big basket, Tot, too."
"Yes," answered Tot, gravely, "big basket!" Then he jumped up and, all eagerness, approached the basket.
"Let's eat it!" he exclaimed.