[Ill.u.s.tration: "Oh, I'm so, so sorry"]

"Oh, I'm so, so sorry," said Cake Tin, "I was too excited and proud!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: One-half hour before lunch time.]

"Why didn't you tell me," Mary Frances asked, "that a fresh cake, if cut, would 'fall?'"

[Ill.u.s.tration]

"Oh," said Cake Tin, "I meant to be so helpful. I'll try never to be too proud again."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Is it right?" asked the little girl, lifting them up to see.]

CHAPTER XXIV

THE TEA PARTY

MARY FRANCES didn't eat much lunch.

"What's the matter, child?" asked Aunt Maria, anxiously. "'Homesick' for Mother?--or was to-day's lesson too hard?"

Then Mary Frances told of cutting and eating the fresh cake. "And, Aunt Maria," she said, the tears flowing down her cheeks, "it went down!

down!

down!

until I was afraid it would rise out of the bottom of the pan the other way."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "What's the matter, child?"]

"Never mind, dear child," Aunt Maria comforted her. "I did the same thing to my first cake. I remember it well!"

"You did, Aunt Maria?"

"Yes," said the old lady. "I'll tell you what we'll do! I'll bake a cake in place of yours for to-night's party. Don't tell any one."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "It went down! down! down!"]

"Oh, thank you, Aunt Maria," cried Mary Frances; "that's so kind!"

"Not a word to any one!" cau-tion-ed Aunt Maria. "What else do you have?"

"Cocoa," said Mary Frances; "I can make that."

"My," smiled Aunt Maria, "I'm so proud."

After the games and riddles, Mary Frances excused herself from her guests, and made the cocoa and the pot of tea for her aunt. Then Billy carried in the tray, on which she had placed the cake, and the cups and saucers, plates, napkins, and Chocolate Pot, and, oh, yes, Tea Pot, for Aunt Maria; and she poured the cocoa like a real grown lady, while the boys pa.s.sed the plates and the cake, and served the guests to the cups of cocoa.

"Did Mary Frances make this cake?" asked one of the guests. ("I'm awfully glad she didn't ask about the other," thought the little girl.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Did Mary Frances make this cake?"]

"Yes," said Eleanor's brother Bob. "Yes; knowing the greatness of the present oc-ca-sion, I have written a poem, en-ti-tled, 'Ode to the Cook'

(bowing to Mary Frances), which, with your kind indulgence, I will now read:"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Ode to the Cook"]

"Begin!" laughed Mary Frances.

Bob cleared his throat and began:

"Mary Frances is a girl Who cooks for you and I; She can boil a fancy cake Or stew a cherry pie.

"Once she made a pot of soup And served it for our dinner; We thought that we were like to die, It made us so much thinner."

"Time to weep?" asked Billy, pa-thet-i-cal-ly.

"Now, this, our cook will save expense, For when she is your baker, You may save your doctor's bill-- Just get an undertaker."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Oh, Bob, I say--"]

"Now, Billy," cried Mary Frances, "what have you been telling?"

"Oh, Bob, I say--" said Billy.

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

"Mary Frances, don't mind Bob," interrupted Eleanor. "You see what I have to stand all the time." And Mary Frances laughed heartily.

"Did you think I minded Bob?" she asked.

"Show you forgive me, Mary Frances," begged Bob, "by letting me have another cup of cake, and another piece of cocoa."

"Not _another_," laughingly corrected Mary Frances. "To be polite, I believe I must pretend I didn't notice you'd had any."

"You certainly are kind, Mary Frances," said Bob, "when I don't know how many pieces----"

"I know," cried Eleanor,--"this makes the fifth!"

"Well, Nell," begged Bob, "don't tell Mother."

"You deserve it," said Eleanor.