you
had thought of?"

"Just exactly, Mother. But do you think we can make enough ice-cream
here at home for twenty people? Wouldn't it be better to buy it?"

"Oh, I am sure we can easily make it, and home-made ice-cream is so
good--better, I think, than we could buy. We can borrow Miss Betty's
freezer, which holds two quarts, and as ours holds three, that will be
plenty. We count that a quart will serve about seven,--more cooking
arithmetic, Mildred! If one quart will be enough for seven people, how
many quarts will be needed for twenty?"

"The answer is that five quarts will be just about right," laughed
Mildred. "Perhaps some of them will want two helpings. But, Mother, if
we have the party on Saturday, Norah will be very busy, and who will
make the cream?"

"We will all make it together, and Jack may pack the freezers and turn
them for us. And Norah may make the cake for you on Friday, so that will
be out of the way."

So, early on Saturday morning, Mildred and Brownie began to hull
strawberries for the party and put them away in bowls on the ice. Then
they made the table all ready on the porch, putting a pretty little
cloth on it, and arranging plates and napkins; glasses, for what Brownie
called the "nice-cold drinks," were set out too, and little dishes of
the candy which Father Blair had brought home and called his
contribution to the party; and in the middle of the table they put a
bowl of lovely red roses.

After an early luncheon, everybody went at once to the kitchen. The
berries were put on the large table, and the cream and milk brought from
the refrigerator. The two freezers stood ready in the laundry with a big
pail for the broken ice, a heavy bag, a wooden mallet, and a large bag
of coarse salt.

"Come, Jack," his mother said, as he stood picking out the biggest
berries from the bowl and eating them, "here's some more man's work for
you! We want you to break the ice and pack these freezers for us."

"What do I get for it?" Jack asked, pretending to grumble. "If the girls
are going to eat up all the ice-cream, I guess I won't bother freezing
it."

"No, indeed, they are not going to eat it all up," said Mother Blair. "I
am counting on having ever so much left over for dinner to-night; and
you shall have two helpings."

"Make it three and I'll think about it," said Jack, choosing the very
biggest berry of all.

"Three then," said Mildred, disgustedly, taking the bowl away. "Boys do
eat so m