There was not much time left for this however, for the dinner-bell sounded
and all the family assembled in the large hall for the mid-day meal.

"What nice thing has my little Hunne done to-day?" asked the father, when
they were at last all busy over their plates.

"I made a splendid riddle, Papa, but Rolf never tries to guess my riddles,
and I couldn't find Jule, and the rest would not listen to me at all."

"Yes, Papa," interrupted Rolf! "and I too have made three or four splendid
ones, but no one has time to guess them, and those who have time enough
are so stupid that there is no use in trying to get any answer from them.
When Jule has guessed one he thinks he has done enough, and I can make at
least six in a day."

"Yes, yes, Papa"--it was now Wili's and Lili's turn--"and we have found
such a hard riddle, so hard that even Rolf couldn't guess it. It is really
a rebus."

"If you will wait long enough I can get it, I am sure," said Rolf.

"We seem to have a riddle in every comer," said their father. "I believe
we have a riddle-fever, and one catches it from another. We really need a
regular guesser in the house, to do nothing but guess riddles."

"I wish I could find such a person," said Rolf, sighing, for to be forever
making riddles for somebody who would listen with interest and guess with
intelligence, seemed to him the most desirable thing in the world.