"All right, Father," she called; "I'm up and dressed--and downstairs--and, Father, wait a minute; breakfast is almost ready. I'll call you in a minute."

She ran to put some oranges on the table.

[Ill.u.s.tration: She ran to put some oranges on the table]

"You can come now, you and Brother," she then called. "You sit right down and eat your oranges, as I bring in the other things."

"All right, dear," said her father; "but first I want my good-morning kiss."

"A kiss and a bear hug," laughed Mary Frances, throwing her arms around him as he lifted her up.

"You stole a march on your old father this morning, all right," laughed her father. "Breakfast, indeed! Why, I never was so surprised in my life."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Why I never was so surprised in my life"]

"Oh, Brother," said Mary Frances, kissing Billy; "you and Father sit down, and I'll bring in the coffee."

She flew into the kitchen.

Such a place! So thick with smoke and steam that all the Kitchen People were coughing.

"Oh, dear! dear!" cried Mary Frances, the tears coming fast.

"Everything's burnt up! Why, didn't you call me, Sillies? To sit here and let the toast burn up!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Why didn't you call me, Sillies?"]

"I--I _did_ call you," cried Coffee Pot, sputtering more coffee over on the stove, "but I couldn't make you hear."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "I--I _did_ call you."]

"Why didn't you call?" asked Mary Frances of Sauce Pan with a sob.

"You told me not to speak until you spoke to me----"

"I was asleep," interrupted Toaster.

"Who are you talking to, Mary Frances?" asked her father. "Aren't you nearly ready?"

"Sh--sh!" Warned Mary Frances, with uplifted finger--then aloud:

"Oh, Father, I'm so disappointed! I had everything ready so nice and hot, and now everything's burnt up! Oh, de--ar, oh, oh, oh, de--ar!"

"Never mind, Honey," said her father, kissing away her tears. "Never mind! There's no hurry this morning, I'll fix the fire and you do it all over again."

"But I've wasted all the eggs--they're as hard as bricks--they cooked twenty minutes. I forgot them."

"They'll be fine in our salad to-night," said Brother; "I love hard-boiled eggs that way."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "They'll be fine in our salad."]

"Brother, you run out in the garden," said her father, "Sister is going to have our breakfast ready in a very few minutes."

"I'll do that," cried Billy, "and I'll have a fine appet.i.te."

When they went into the kitchen Mary Frances saw Sauce Pan whisper something to Coffee Pot, but her father didn't notice. He quickly fixed the fire.

"Now, Father," begged Mary Frances, "please let me do it and I'll have everything on the table in no time."

"Ho-ho! little Miss Housekeeper doesn't need any help. Very well!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: Sauce Pan whispered something to Coffee Pot.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: "It keeps me so sad."]

"I did need help with the fire, Father," said Mary Frances; "it was a great help, but----"

"All right, Girlie," said Father, "I'll read my paper; you call us when you're ready."

In a very few minutes she did call them, and a fine breakfast it was, too; for Mary Frances knew _how_ so well that not a minute was wasted.

"Ain't she the loveliest cook," whispered Coffee Pot to Sauce Pan, as Mary Frances disappeared through the dining room door with the eggs.

"Loveliest ever!" said Sauce Pan. "I really was afraid to call her for fear her father would hear. I'm so sorry----"

"Yes," nodded Toaster Man, "I can't seem to get it off my mind. It keeps me so sad--won't you tell us a story?"

"I can't get it off my mind, either," said Sauce Pan, with a sob, "but I'll do my best. Here goes:

"Our little Miss sat down and cried, And called her Sauce Pan to her, 'I feel so berry bad inside, I wish you'd (h)eat some sugar.'"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "I can't get it off my mind, either."]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

"Oh, silly!" interrupted Toaster Man, "don't make fun,--besides, you know that's not true."

"Well," replied Sauce Pan, "I thought you wanted a story!"

"Pooh!" puffed Tea Kettle, "What a poor pun! I should think you'd all be tired out. Let's take a nap."

"I just want to say I love our little Miss just the same," said Sauce Pan.

"And I!"

"And I!" cried all the Kitchen People.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "A kiss and a bear hug," laughed Mary Frances.]