range them in your pans, but do not let them
touch. Bake fifteen minutes; take them out of the pans while warm,
and spread out on a platter to cool.

"Dear me, that sounds pretty hard!" said Mildred, as she finished.

"Cookies are not quite as easy to make as some other things, but they
are so good, so nice for luncheon and suppers and other times, that I
think you will be glad to know how to make them. And Father is so fond
of cookies!"

"So he is. Well, Mother, I'll try them. And now what comes next?"

"Some cunning, easy little cakes, so easy that next time Brownie can
make them herself. They are called:"

MARGUERITES

20 round, thin crackers.
20 marshmallows.
2 tablespoonfuls of chopped nuts.
2 teaspoonfuls of butter.

Butter the crackers on one side, just a little; put a marshmallow
on each, a tiny bit of butter on it, and a sprinkle of chopped
nuts of any kind. Put them in a shallow pan, and bake till they
are soft and brown; eat while fresh and warm.

"Oh, lovely! Mother, I must have some of the girls in and have those for
myself!"

"So you shall, any day you want to. Now don't you think that is almost
enough for the picnic?"

"I think we ought to have something to finish off with--to eat with the
cookies and marguerites; don't you think so?"

"Yes, I do; something in the way of fruit. Suppose we give them
this--it is much nicer than plain oranges or bananas; write it down,
dear."

ORANGE BASKETS

6 large oranges.
2 bananas.
2 tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar.

Cut the oranges in halves; take out the pulp with a spoon, and put
it in a bowl. Scrape out the inside, leaving nice, clean shells,
and then scallop or point the edges with the scissors. Peel the
bananas, cut them in long, narrow strips, and these into small
bits, and mix lightly with the orange, and add the sugar; heap in
the baskets and set away to grow cold.

[Illustration: Making "Orange Baskets"]

"If we happened to have any pineapple or white grapes in the house, I
should put some of those in too; but these will be delicious just as
they are. Now anything more?"

"Something to drink with the lunch. I think pink lemonade would be
nice."

"Perfectly lovely!" laughed Mother Blair. "We will get a can of
raspberries out of the fruit closet, and make something for them that
will be ever so good. This is the rule:"

PICNIC LEMONADE

8 lemons.
12