10. Fit one ball into each pair whites.

NOTE.--If used for table, serve with White Sauce poured around them. If used for picnic, wrap waxed paper around each until needed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Stuffed Eggs.]

"It's a picnic! It's a picnic!" cried the Kitchen People.

"Yes!" explained Mary Frances, "that's it! Aunt Maria is giving me a picnic to 'celebrate my ambition,' she says--whatever that means.

Anyhow, Father's coming. He's going to make up for the lunch he couldn't come to. I'm so happy!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "It's a picnic!"]

"So'm I! Goody! Goody! I'm all ready!"

Mary Frances turned.

"If it isn't Basket!" she cried. "I had no idea you----"

"That I wanted to go?" asked Basket proudly. "My family are the most important 'picnickers' at any picnic! We always go!"

"Well, to be sure!" exclaimed Mary Frances. "Here, wait--these eggs will be ready in a minute!"

"Tuck the napkin in carefully, please," said Basket. "I won't spill them out. Anything else?"

"No," said Mary Frances. "Aunt Maria said I could bring just one thing--and to surprise everybody; so I have not told anyone what I am going to bring. I wonder if----"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "I--want--to--go!"]

But her thought was cut short by Coffee Pot's crying excitedly: "I want to go! I want to go! I--want--to--go! go! go! go! I want to go--go--go--go!--go--go!"

"Oh, you can't go!" said Sauce Pan. "Why--you!--you'd--you--you'd----"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Goody! Goody! I'm all ready!"]

"That will do," said Mary Frances. "I'll take you, Coffee Pot. Maybe Aunt Maria's little coffee pot won't be large enough for all of the picnic. Eleanor and Bob are going with us!"

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Coffee Pot looked tri-umph-ant-ly at Sauce Pan, but seemed too happy to say anything.

"Good-bye, Kitchen People," said Mary Frances, "I wish I could take you all."

"Good-bye," cried the Kitchen People; "hope you'll have a lovely time!"

"I'd be scared," said Sauce Pan, glancing at Coffee Pot. "Who knows what's in the woods?" And as Mary Frances closed the door, he was singing:

"'If polar bears were everywheres, And leopards came to tea, And fearful bats and gnawing gnats All came to eat with me, And giant snakes ate all the cakes, What a "picnic" that would be!'"

"Boo!!!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "I'll take you, Coffee Pot."]

CHAPTER XXII

THE CANDY PULL

"GET scared at the 'Pic-wick,'--I mean 'Picnic,'--Coffey," teased Sauce Pan next morning.

"Nope," said Coffee Pot, "the 'airing' did me good. I feel lots clearer."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Teased Sauce Pan]

"Tell us about it?"

"Oh, I'm not good at story telling! The Aunt told about the funniest recipe she knew,--called 'Merry Land Biscuits,' I think. Anyhow, she said to 'beat 'em twenty minutes with an axe!'"

"That's a kitchen person I never heard of," said Tea Kettle.

"Did the Aunt like the little Miss' cooking?" asked Aunty Rolling Pin, anxiously.

"Yes, and she talked about Mary Frances' de-vel-op-ment of char-ac-ter--whatever that is. It seemed to have something to do with cooking, for at the same time, she told about the things our little Miss had made, and seemed so proud.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Did the Aunt like the little Miss' cooking?"]

"'May I see your book, my dear?' she asked Mary Frances (for our little mistress had the book tucked under her arm). 'How far are you?' And when Mary Frances showed her:

"'Candy!' she exclaimed, 'Why, to-morrow, my dear (she never used to call her my dear), you can have a Candy Pull--only,' she laughed, 'it isn't the kind that is pulled.'

"'Oh, Aunt Maria,' said Mary Frances, 'that's the loveliest thought--the Candy Pull, I mean.'"

"Humph," said Sauce Pan, "I don't think so! That means we can't help her."

"Oh, no, it doesn't," said Aunty Rolling Pin. "We can help her a great deal by just doing our part. Don't you see? She doesn't need us as she used to."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Candy!" she exclaimed]

"I 'spose we ought to be glad," said Sauce Pan.

"Now, Eleanor," said Mary Frances that evening, "Father and the boys aren't invited until after the candy is made."

"Where are they now--do you know?" asked Eleanor.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "We can help her a great deal"]