"But come in and get your things off," went on Aunt Jo. "I'm keeping you standing in the hall as if I didn't have room for you inside. Come in, make yourselves at home and I'll have Parker hurry the lunch. You must be starved."
"We had breakfast, but it wasn't much," said Russ. "I guess it's on account of war times." Russ had really eaten a big breakfast, but, of course, that had been a long time before.
"Well, of course we must all help with the war," said Aunt Jo, "but I think Parker can give you enough to eat."
"Is Parker a cat?" asked Vi.
"Oh, no!" laughed Aunt Jo. "Parker is my cook. I call her by her last name instead of her first name, as it is the same as mine. Parker is a very good cook, you'll find."
"If Parker was a cat maybe I could think up a riddle about her," put in Laddie. "Anyhow, I know a new riddle, Aunt Jo."
"Do you? Well, I must hear it," she said, as she opened the door to the sitting-room.
"Oh, Laddie, can't you wait to ask riddles until we get our things off?" asked his mother.
"I—I'm afraid I might forget it," said the little boy. "It's a hard riddle."
"Well, let me hear it," said Aunt Jo with a laugh. "I used to be pretty good at guessing them."