daring step.

"Don't we always do it Sundays and Thanksgivings? Wouldn't Ma wish the
children kept safe and warm anyhow? Can I get up a nice dinner with four
rascals under my feet all the time? Come, now, if you want roast turkey
and onions, plum-puddin' and mince-pie, you'll have to do as I tell you,
and be lively about it."

Tilly spoke with such spirit, and her last suggestion was so
irresistible, that Eph gave in, and, laughing good-naturedly, tramped
away to heat up the best room, devoutly hoping that nothing serious
would happen to punish such audacity.

The young folks delightedly trooped in to destroy the order of that prim
apartment with housekeeping under the black horse-hair sofa, "horseback
riders" on the arms of the best rocking-chair, and an Indian war-dance
all over the well-waxed furniture. Eph, finding the society of the
peaceful sheep and cows more to his mind than that of two excited
sisters, lingered over his chores in the barn as long as possible, and
left the girls in peace.

Now Tilly and Prue were in their glory, and as soon as the breakfast
things were out of the way, they prepared for a grand cooking-time. They
were handy girls, though they had never heard of a cooking-school, never
touched a piano, and knew nothing of embroidery beyond the samplers
which hung framed in the parlor; one ornamented with a pink mourner
under a blue weeping-willow, the other with this pleasing verse, each
word being done in a different color, which gave the effect of a
distracted rainbow:

"This sampler neat was worked by me,
In my twelfth year, Prudence B."

Both rolled up their sleeves, put on their largest aprons, and got out
all the spoons, dishes, pots, and pans they could find, "so as to have
everything handy," as Prue said.

"Now, sister, we'll have dinner at five; Pa will be here by that time if
he is coming to-night, and be so surprised to find us all ready, for he
won't have had any very nice victuals if Gran'ma is so sick," said Tilly
importantly. "I shall give the children a piece at noon" (Tilly meant
luncheon); "doughnuts and cheese, with apple-pie and cider will please
'em. There's beans for Eph; he likes cold pork, so we won't stop to warm
it up, for there's lots to do, and I don't mind saying to you I'm
dreadful dubersome about the turkey."

"It's all ready but the stuffing, and roasting is as easy as can be. I
can baste first rate. Ma always likes to have me, I'm so patient and