Then the most surprising thing happened.
Grandpa Grimes got up and bowed three times and looked over his spectacles and said, “I know some one who will take your house.”
“Who is it? who is it?” cried all the Roly-Polys, and—will you believe it?—it was fully ten minutes before Grandpa could hear himself speak.
Then Grandpa said, “I will take your house. I will move in to-morrow morning.”
“Who will keep house for you?” asked Papa.
Grandpa Grimes made another bow and said, “I have asked Little Red Riding Hood to keep house for me.”
The little Roly-Polys were all so excited that they did not know what to do.
They cried out, “O Ma, may we stay at home? O Pa, please let us stay at home! We wish to see Little Red Riding Hood!”
“How very strange!” said Papa Roly-Poly.