Part 28 (1/2)

EXAMINATION DAY

”Children,” said Mother Blair on New Year's day, ”when you have all finished whatever you are doing and have a whole hour to spare, I want you to bring your receipt books into the sitting-room. I'm going to have an examination.”

Jack gave a loud groan.

”That's no fair, Mother. No exams in vacation!”

”Yes, it is fair, perfectly fair to have this examination in vacation time, because you never have a moment while school is going on to give me for it; now is my only chance. But it won't be a very long or severe one. I fancy I can find out all _you_ know about cooking in a very short time, Jack!”

Jack laughed and went upstairs for his book, and presently they all gathered in the sitting-room by the fire. The three children sat in a row on the great big sofa with the pillows tucked behind them, and Mother Blair sat in front, exactly like a teacher. She had three pads and pencils ready, and three packages well wrapped up, in her lap.

”It was just a year ago to-day that we got those books,” said Brownie.

”Mine has heaps of rules in it, too.”

”So has mine,” said Mildred, turning the leaves. ”I did not know I had so many. And what fun we had making some of the things! Do you remember your cheese dreams at the House-in-the-Woods party, Jack? And the Hallowe'en things in the chafing-dish? And the attic picnic, Brownie?

I'm sorry we can't have all those parties over again, Mother.”

”We'll have plenty more, dear, and better ones, too. But how many receipts have you, Jack?”

Jack proudly displayed his camping receipts and a few others, princ.i.p.ally chafing-dish rules. ”Lots!” he said.

”Not half enough. You've done only pretty well, Jack; but a beginning is something, after all. But now, children, the examination is going to begin. Here is a written question for each of you, and you are to write the answer down on this pad.”

”Dreadful,” murmured Mildred, accepting her slip of paper and pad with a long sigh. This is what she read:

”What would you have for luncheon, if you found in the refrigerator some eggs, a little celery, cold boiled potatoes, a bottle of milk and b.u.t.ter; and beside had in the house cookies and a basket of very poor pears? Look up the rule for each dish in your receipt book.”

”That's easy,” said Mildred, happily, going to work at once.

Brownie's slip said:

”If you were ordering breakfast to-morrow morning, what would be the nicest things you could think of? And could you make them all?”

And when Jack opened his folded paper he read:

”Plan a Sunday night supper with nothing but what you can make yourself.”

”Ask me a hard one,” Jack said, waving his paper around his head.

Mother Blair took a book and began to read to herself while the pencils scratched away on the pads and the receipt books were consulted over and over. It was only a few moments before, ”Done!” said Mildred, and ”Done!” said Brownie. Jack was a trifle slower, and they had to wait for him to finish. It was not so easy an examination as he had thought at first.

”Read the question first and then the answer; you begin, Mildred,” said Mother Blair. So Mildred read her question, and then taking her pad read what she had put down: