looked as if they hadn't
been washed for years, and one of them had a long ragged hole in it. I
couldn't help feeling secretly surprised, for Aunt Jean had the
reputation of being a perfect housekeeper. However, I didn't say
anything, and neither did the other girls. Mother had always impressed
upon us that it was the height of bad manners to criticize anything we
might not like in a house where we were guests.

"Well, let's see about dinner," said Alberta, practically, snapping
her bracelet on her wrist and admiring the effect.

We went to the kitchen, where Elizabeth proceeded to light the fire,
that being one of her specialties, while Alberta and I explored the
pantry. We found the dinner supplies laid out as Aunt Jean had
explained. There was a nice fat turkey all stuffed, and vegetables
galore. The mince pies were in their place, but they were almost the
only things about which that could be truthfully said, for the
disorder of that pantry was enough to give a tidy person nightmares
for a month. "I never in all my life saw--" began Alberta, and then
stopped short, evidently remembering Mother's teaching.

"Where is the plum pudding?" said I, to turn the conversation into
safer channels.

It was nowhere to be seen, so we concluded it must be in the cellar.
But we found the cellar door padlocked good and fast.

"Never mind," said Elizabeth. "You know none of us really likes plum
pudding. We only eat it because it is the proper traditional dessert.
The mince pies will suit us better."

We hurried the turkey into the oven, and soon everything was going
merrily. We had lots of fun getting up that dinner, and we made
ourselves perfectly at home, as Aunt Jean had commanded. We kindled a
fire in the dining room and dusted everything in sight. We couldn't
find anything remotely resembling a duster, so we used our
handkerchiefs. When we got through, the room looked like something, for
the furnishings were really very handsome, but our handkerchiefs--well!

Then we set the table with all the nice dishes we could find. There
was only one long tablecloth in the sideboard drawer, and there were
three holes in it, but we covered them with dishes and put a little
potted palm in the middle for a centrepiece. At one o'clock dinner was
ready for us and we for it. Very nice that table looked, too, as we
sat down to it.

Just as Alberta was about to spear the turkey with a fork and begin
carving, that being one of _her_ spec