"Fly time is nearly gone," said Sauce Pan, "and--school time is almost here," he added, seeing Mary Frances didn't seem to notice.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Put on her pretty little cap.]

"Yes," she said, "but before school time, there's a grand good time--Mother comes home to-morrow!"

"Whew!" whistled Tea Kettle. "So soon?"

"Well," said Mary Frances, "it doesn't seem soon when I think of it without my cooking lessons--but when I think I'm nearly through the book----"

"What's to-day's lesson?" asked Aunty Rolling Pin. "I'm so anxious you do get through!"

"Thank you, Aunty Rolling Pin, I must tell you. I'm going to give a Tea Party!"

"A Tea Party!" exclaimed Tea Pot, clapping his lid up and down. "Oh, lovely!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "A Tea Party!"]

"Oh, this is a Tea Party without tea," said Mary Frances. "We're going to have two kinds of cake,--and cocoa!"

Then, seeing how disappointed Tea Pot looked:

"Oh, I will have tea, too. Aunt Maria without tea! That will never do!"

"Now for the next recipe:

NO. 31.--SPONGE CAKE.

2 eggs 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup boiling water teaspoon vanilla (or lemon extract) 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder dash of salt

1. Separate yolks of eggs and beat in a large bowl.

2. Add gradually half the sugar, stirring well.

3. Add the boiling water slowly.

4. Add remaining sugar, and the flavoring.

5. Sift together twice flour, baking powder and salt.

6. Sift by small quant.i.ties into the mixture, beating well each time.

7. Beat whites of eggs and fold them into the cake.

8. Grease pan. Toss around in it cup flour. Throw out. This prevents sticking.

9. Pour in the cake.

10. Bake in a moderate oven about 35 minutes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Aunt Maria without tea!"]

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Humph!"]

"Humph!" said Aunty Rolling Pin, "that's all right, but it doesn't give you much idea how the oven should be."

"No," explained Mary Frances, "I 'spose Mother intended to show me about that."

"Of course, child," said Aunty Rolling Pin, "that was it. Now, I'll tell you all about cake----"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "I'll tell you all about cake."]

"What's that!" a queer, m.u.f.fled voice.

Mary Frances started in surprise.

A great com-mo-tion inside the pantry, and the sound of many little voices! Then she made out the words:

"Get out of my way! Here, you, step aside!" (Then a little shriek or two followed by the sound of falling tins.) "Oh, you knocked my nose. There!

that makes the fiftieth dent! No wonder I look old and worn out. Can't you wait a minute?"

At length there came a pounding on the door, and a high little voice--or was it two voices?

"Let me out! Oh, I say, please let us out!"

"Mercy!" thought Mary Frances, "I hope there isn't going to be any trouble." And she cautiously opened the pantry door a little way. The two Cake Tins pushed their way out.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The two Cake Tins.]

"Oh, thank you!" they said, breathlessly, in chorus (looking at each other all the while as though they'd learned and rehea.r.s.ed every word).

"I thought I'd never get out to help! I've listened through the door to every lesson, just hoping my turn would come. There I was back of the other pots and pans, and when I heard 'Cake' I just jumped!"

"As I had just started to say"--Aunty Rolling Pin began.

"What do you know about cakes!" cried the Cake Tins, angrily. "If everybody'd just mind his own cooking--who ever rolls cakes?"

"Well, I know about cookies," said Aunty Rolling Pin; "and besides, I know about most things,--I belonged to a real cooking teacher!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Prove it!"]

"Prove it!" cried the Cake Tins.

"I will," said Aunty Rolling Pin; "here's part of a lecture the teacher used to give:

[Ill.u.s.tration: "What do you know about cakes?"]

"Now, ladies, you can see the ex-ceed-ing-ly good texture of this cake, as I drop it from the spoon. The nu-tri-tive value of the ut-il-ized com-po-si-tion is unequaled, except in rare cases of cul-in-ary e-con-om-y. For instance, the proteids, the car-bon-a-ce-ous contrib-u-tions plus the con-di-ments, afford an instance of un-u-su-al strength-giving power. The in-ex-cus-a-ble prod-i-gal-i-ty of the A-mer-i-can house-wife----'"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "I'll make the sponge cake first," said Mary Frances.]