so he had a great boxful, and it took him quite a
little time to fry them all; but it was just as well, for Mildred and
her mother had to make the oyster stew, which was to be eaten first.

OYSTER STEW

1 pint of oysters.
1/2 pint of water.
1 quart of rich milk.
1/2 teaspoonful of salt.

Drain the juice off the oysters and examine each to remove any
pieces of shell that may still adhere to it; add the water to the
oyster juice, and boil one minute; skim this well. Heat the milk
and add to this, and when it steams, drop in the oysters and
simmer just one minute, or till the edges of the oysters begin to
curl; add the salt and take up at once; if you choose, add a cup
of sifted cracker crumbs.

"What is 'simmer?" asked Mildred, as she read the rule over.

"Just letting it boil a tiny little bit," said her mother, "around the
edges of the saucepan, but not all over. And here is the receipt for:"

SCRAMBLED EGGS

1 egg for each person.
2 tablespoonfuls of milk to each egg.
2 shakes of salt.
1 shake of pepper.

Break the eggs in a bowl, beat them twelve times, then add the
milk, salt, and pepper; heat a pan, put in a piece of butter the
size of a hickory-nut, and when it is melted, pour in the eggs;
stir them as they cook, and scrape them off the bottom of the pan;
when they are all thick and creamy, they are done.

"I have taken the rule for the stew three times over for twelve people,
and I don't think it will be a bit too much; but as almost everyone will
want the cheese dreams, suppose we scramble only five eggs.

"You'd better do that right away, for supper is almost ready. Brownie's
potatoes are just done, and she can be filling the glasses with water,
and putting on the butter and bread, and these two big dishes of honey
to eat with the biscuits for the last course."

While Mildred was cooking the eggs, Mother Blair put the oysters on the
table, with the hot soup-plates and a generous supply of crisp
oyster-crackers; the cheese dreams were done and in the oven, and
Mildred covered the eggs and set the dish in the warming oven, and put
the cocoa on the table in a chocolate pot. Then everybody sat down and
began to eat.

After the oyster stew was all gone, they had the hot cheese dreams and
scrambled eggs and the stuffed potatoes and cocoa all at once; and when
those too had vanished, there were the little biscuits and the