of vinegar, and keep
on boiling till it is ready."

"That is very easy," said Mary. "Shall I weigh the butter?"

"Yes," said Tom. "You weigh the butter, I will weigh the sugar, Rosy the
treacle, and Margaret measure the vinegar. It is such an advantage to
have so many helpers; we get the work done so quickly. There is a
proverb which says 'Many hands make light work.' It is quite true."

"How clever your brother is, Rosy!" said Margaret.

"Please, had we better not divide the work, then?" said Mary, "and take
it in turns to stir?"

"Yes, we will stir by the clock: six minutes each."

"Who is to begin?"

"Shall I begin, as I understand how to do it? Then Margaret can follow,
then Mary, then Rosy."

"But how shall we know when it is boiled enough?" said Margaret.

"That is just what I was going to tell you. We cannot say exactly how
long it has to boil, but we must try it. When a little of the toffee
which has been dropped into a cup of cold water makes a crackling
sound, or breaks clean between the teeth without sticking to them, the
toffee is done."

"Which of us is to try whether it is done, though?" said Margaret.

"As we are all going to make the toffee, I should say we had better all
try it. We can have four cups of water and four spoons, can't we,
Margaret?"

"Oh, yes!" replied Margaret. "Will you fetch them please, Mary?"

Mary went off as requested, but she was away so long that Tom and
Margaret had finished stirring, and they were ready for her to take the
spoon when she returned, looking hot and excited, but bearing the four
cups of water and four spoons on a tray.

"Aunt Bridget wouldn't let me have four cups at first," she remarked on
entering: "she said it was too many; but I got them at last."

"That's right," said Tom. "Shall we try if the toffee is nearly ready?"

"We had better not try too soon, because if four of us taste very often,
we shall eat so much before it is ready that there will be very little
to divide after it is ready."

"Quite true," said Tom; while Mary stirred enthusiastically until her
six minutes were gone.

"Now for my turn," said Rosy.

"I think we had better try whether it is done enough yet," said Tom.

"Tom, how unkind you are!" said Rosy. "Everybody has stirred but me, and
just as my turn has come you want to try it. Besides, how can I try it
when I am stirring?"

"Very well, we will wait," said Tom good-naturedly. "Don't cry, Rosy;"
and Rosy's face br