eets with
me, so Cindy and us must be a-stirring, but I had a breakfast in my
mind for you two hours from now. You hadn't oughter done it. Them ain't
orders in your prescription."

"I'm so hungry," she pleaded with a most wickedly humble glance at the
Doctor, who was busy consuming muffins and chicken gravy. "Can't I have
a breakfast now, Doctor--and the other one two hours later? Please!"

"Yes," answered the Doctor, "but don't forget the two glasses of cream
and dinner and some of the Sewing Party refreshments, to say nothing of
supper-and are you going to make custards for us to eat before seeking
our downy couches?"

"The cup custards are going to be part of the Sewing Circle
refreshments," his mother answered him. "I want to show off my teaching
to the Providence folks. Give the child some chicken, Tom Mayberry, and
then you can go to your work. We don't want you underfoot."

"Don't you need my help?" asked the Doctor, as, in a disobedient frame
of mind, he lingered at the table to watch the singer lady begin
operations on her dainty breakfast.

"Well, you can set here and see that Elinory gets all she wants and
more too, but I must be a-doing around. There cames the Deacon! I
wonder what the matter is!" And Mother Mayberry hurried out of the
house and down to the front gate to meet the Deacon who was coming
slowly up the Road.

"Good morning, Sister Mayberry," he said cheerily enough, though there
was an expression of anxiety on his gentle old face. "I thought I would
find you up, even at this unusually early hour. Your lamp is always
burning to meet emergencies. Mrs. Bostick is not well this morning and
I came up to see if you could find a moment to step down to see her
soon. I also wanted to ask Thomas to stop in for a moment on his way
over to Flat Rock. I am sure that she is not at all ill, but I am just
overly anxious."

"Why, of course, we will both come right away, Deacon! What did she eat
last night for supper? She oughter be careful about her night eating."

"Let me see," answered the Deacon thoughtfully, "I think we both had a
portion of milk and toast administered by our young sister, Eliza Pike.
I recall I pleaded for some of the peaches, still in the jar you gave
Mrs. Bostick, but was sternly denied." As he spoke the Deacon beamed
with affectionate pride over having been vanquished by the stern Eliza.

Just at this moment from around the corner of the Pike home came the
young woman in quest