noon
He startled his parents at supper that evening by a sudden and seemingly morbid thirst for information about diseases . `` Mother , '' he queried , between mouthfuls of bread and homemade marmalade , `` what 's measles and scarlet fever and diphtheria start out like ? '' His father chortled with amusement . Mother , after the manner of women , remembered his actions that noon and grew anxious . `` You 're not feeling sick , are you , dear ? '' He did n't feel exactly well . Could she tell him about any of the foregoing ?