ught of
betraying me, and, although she must have heard, paid no attention to
Mollie's remarks.

"It's food for the gods," I answered carelessly, as I tossed the
luscious compound about with a spoon.

"Do you mean that is the name, or that it is your opinion that it is
worthy to be food for the gods?" asked Bessie Sanford, who paused at my
elbow, bearing in her hands a tray of delicate sponge-cakes.

"Both," I answered.

"Amy is ambitious; see what she is making, girls," said Mollie; and
several, gathering round, peered at the diet of the gods with, as I
imagined, envy and admiration.

"There!" I said, triumphantly, and as though I were a _cordon bleu_,
accustomed to turn off feasts for an emperor--"There, now it is ready
to go into the moulds. Oh, no, I have forgotten the flavoring. Jim,"
for the boy was there to wait upon us, and to run upon errands--"Jim,
go and ask Mary Jane for a bottle of vanilla flavoring."

Now, I might have known better than to send Jim on this errand, for
between him and Mary Jane there was a state of warfare, due, I must
say, to her ill-temper and prejudice. Formerly it had been productive
of much annoyance and discomfort to the household, and had at last
reached such a climax, that father, who never interfered in domestic
details, had unexpectedly taken the matter in hand, and given the old
woman such a warning, that she had not since that time dared to give
open vent to her dislike. But the fires, though smouldering, still were
alive; and Jim never cared to ask her for any thing, or to carry a
message to her.

However, now he ran into the kitchen, and presently returned with a
bottle which he handed to me. Glancing at it, I saw that it was
properly labelled, and I flavored with the contents according to
directions; and, nothing doubting, then called upon cousin Serena to
stamp it with her approbation, which she did. After which I poured the
mixture into the moulds, and set it away.

Fairly well satisfied with the results of our afternoon's work, we
removed such traces of it as had left their impress, took a short rest,
and were ready in due time to receive our leap-year guests.

We were to have a high tea; the rest of our family, with cousin Serena,
dining at an earlier hour than usual to accommodate us, and taking
their later repast in the library.

There was naturally much fun and jollity over the reversal of the usual
order of things, and we carried out our programme to the