thing I made, and wouldn't let me leave a thing
around. I thought it was just sort of fussing at first, but after a
while I found out it saved time. There weren't half as many dishes to do
after a meal, if you cleaned up as you went along, and when you were in
an awful hurry to fish or something it helped a lot."

"I know; Mother always tells Brownie and me to do that way. One day we
were cooking and I wanted the egg beater; Brownie had used it and left
it in the dish pan to soak, so I had to stop and wash it. Then after I
used it I put it back in the pan, and Norah needed it and she had to
wash it; and that was the way it went all the time till we learned that
we must wash up every pot and pan and dish and spoon just the very
minute we were through with them. It seems a lot of bother at first but
you don't mind after a little. And then, Jack, while we have to wash the
dishes at night it will save time to do them as we go along now."

When the toast was made and buttered, Mildred kept it hot while she
quickly creamed the dried beef. The cocoa was all ready and so was the
brown corn bread, and exactly at half past six o'clock supper was all
ready to go right on the table, and everything was as nice as possible.
"But then," said Father Blair complacently, "what else can you expect?
This corn bread, Jack, tastes to me like that of the good old times."

"And this beef, Mildred, is exactly right, and so is the cocoa."

And so were the apple-sauce and cake, when they came on the table. The
cake, especially, seemed particularly good, though it was only the same
kind Mildred had often made herself,--the one in her own cook book under
the title "Christmas Cake."

"I do think nice cake is just as good as can be," said Mildred, taking a
second piece. "I believe I'll learn to make several kinds right away
while Norah is gone."

"That's the kind of talk I like to hear," said Jack appreciatively.

In the morning Jack made the fire and started the cereal in plenty of
time, while the rest finished dressing. This was the very simple rule he
used:

OATMEAL

1 cup of meal.
1 quart of boiling water.
1 teaspoonful salt.

When the water boils hard, add the salt and stir in the meal
quickly; put it all into the double boiler and let it cook at
least half an hour; take off the cover and let it stand till it
gets a little dry (about five minutes). Serve with cream, and, if
you like, sliced bananas and