at you and your
brothers were in it: but we must not let them see you."

They all entered the cottage, which consisted of one large room in
front, and two back rooms for bedrooms. There was also a third bedroom,
which was behind the other two, but which had not any furniture in it.

"Now let's see what we can have for dinner--there's venison left, I
know," said Jacob: "come, we must all be useful. Who will be cook?"

"I will be cook," said Alice, "if you will show me how."

"So you shall, my dear," said Jacob, "and I will show you how. There's
some potatoes in the basket in the corner--and some onions hanging on
the string--we must have some water--who will fetch it?"

"I will," said Edward; who took up a pail and went out to the spring.

The potatoes were peeled and washed by the children--Jacob and Edward
cut the venison into pieces--the iron pot was cleaned--and then the meat
and potatoes put with water into the pot, and placed on the fire.

"Now I'll cut, up the onions, for they will make your eyes water."

"I don't care," said Humphrey; "I'll cut and cry at the same time."

And Humphrey took up a knife, and cut away most manfully, although he
was obliged to wipe his eyes with his sleeve very often.

"You are a fine fellow, Humphrey," said Jacob. "Now we'll put the
onions in, and let it all boil up together. Now, you see you have
cooked your own dinner; ain't that pleasant?"

"Yes," cried they all; "and we will eat our own dinners as soon as it is
ready."

"Then, Humphrey, you must get some of the platters down which are on the
dresser; and Alice, you will find some knives in the drawer. And let me
see, what can little Edith do? Oh, she can go to the cupboard and find
the salt-cellar. Edward, just look-out, and if you see anybody coming
or passing, let me know. We must put you on guard till the troopers
leave the forest."

The children set about their tasks, and Humphrey cried out, as he very
often did, "Now, this is jolly!"

While the dinner was cooking Jacob amused the children by showing them
how to put things in order; the floor was swept, the hearth was made
tidy. He showed Alice how to wash out a cloth, and Humphrey how to dust
the chairs. They all worked merrily, while little Edith stood and
clapped her hands.

But just before dinner was ready Edward came in and said, "Here are
troopers galloping in the forest!" Jacob went out, and observed that
they were coming in a direction tha