chmond said, heartily.
"What are you and Miss Redwood doing here?"

"We are getting ready for the business of life," said the housekeeper.
"The minister knows there are different ways of doin' that."

"Just what way are you taking now?" said Mr. Richmond, laughing. "It
seems to me, you think the business of life is eating--if I may judge
by the smell of the preparation."

"It is time you looked at your cake, Tilly," said Miss Redwood; and she
did not offer to help her; so, blushing more and more, Matilda was
obliged to open the oven door again, and show that she was acting
baker. The eyes of the two older persons met in a way that was pleasant
to see.

"What's here, Tilly?" said the minister, coming nearer and stooping to
look in himself.

"Miss Redwood has been teaching me how to make gingerbread. O Miss
Redwood, it is beginning to get brown at the end."

"Turn the pans round then. It ain't done yet."

"No, it isn't done, for it is not quite up in the middle. There is a
sort of hollow place."

"Shut up your oven, child, and it will be all right in a few minutes."

"Then I think this is the night when you are going to stay and take tea
with me," said Mr. Richmond. "I promised you a roast apple, I remember.
Are there any more apples that will do for roasting, Miss Redwood?"

"O Mr. Richmond, I do not care for the apple!" Matilda cried.

"But if I don't have it, you will stay and take tea with me?"

Matilda looked wistful, and hesitated. Her mother would not miss her;
but could Maria get the tea without her?--

"And I dare say you want to talk to me about something; isn't it so?"
the minister continued.

"Yes, Mr. Richmond; I do."

"That settles it. She will stay, Miss Redwood. I shall have some
gingerbread, I hope. And when you are ready, Tilly, you can come to me
in my room."

The minister quitted the kitchen in good time, for now the cakes were
almost done and needed care. A little watchful waiting, and then the
plumped up, brown, glossy loaves of gingerbread said to even an
inexperienced eye that it was time for them to come out of the oven.
Miss Redwood showed Matilda how to arrange them on a sieve, where they
would not get steamy and moist; and Matilda's eye surveyed them there
with very great satisfaction.

"That's as nice as if I had made it myself," said the housekeeper. "Now
don't you want to get the minister's tea?"

"What shall I do, Miss Redwood?"

"I thought maybe you'd like to learn