noon
Walking over to the centre of the room , he stopped and looked upon his subjects . `` Well , of all the infernally lazy people I ever saw ! '' he commented , `` you beat them , Jennie ! Get up and cook something to eat ; it 's way after noon , and I 'm hungry . '' The woman said nothing , but the boy slid to his feet , facing the intruder . `` Mamma 's sick and ca n't get up , '' he explained as impersonally as to a stranger . `` Besides , there is n't anything to cook .