*^ Yes, it is fair, perfectly fair to have this ex- amination 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 244 EXAMINATION DAT 245 behind them, and Mother Blair sat in front, ex- actly like a teacher. She had three pads and pencils ready, and three packages well wrapped np, in her lap. **It was just a year ago to-day that we got those books, * ' said Brownie. * * Mine has heaps of roles 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 I Do you remember your cheese dreams at the House-in-the-Woods party, Jack? And the Hallowe 'en things in the chafing-dish f And the attic picnic. Brownie t I 'm sorry we can't have all those parties over again. Mother." **We '11 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, principally chafing-dish rules. *^Lots!"hesaid. ' * 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. ' ' 246 THE FUN OF COOKING ** 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 hoiled potatoes, a bottle of milk and butter ; 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: **K you were ordering breakfast to-morrow morning, what would be the nicest things you could think of f 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, **Donel'' said Mildred, and **Done!" said Brownie. Jack was a trifle slower, and they EXAMINATION DAY 247 had to wait for him to finish. It was not so easy an examination as he had thonght at first. **Read the question first and then the answer; yon begin, Mildred,*' said Mother Blair. So Mildred read her question, and then taking her pad read what she had put down : **For luncheon I would have first, cream of celery soup, made by the rule I copied under cream soups ; I learned how to make those when Mother was sick. After that I would have creamed eggs on toast. (You know I can make those, Mother; I made them just last week.) And with them I 'd have hashed brown potatoes ; that rule I know by heart. And then for dessert I 'd stew those poor pears, like apple sauce, you know, only I wouldn't cut them up but keep them in halves the way Norah does ; and I 'd have the cookies with them. ' ' **Good, Mildred — splendid I I did not know you could manage so well Now let 's see what Brownie would have for breakfast.'' ** Cereal first; see the rule of cereal with dates, — only I 'd leave out the dates this time — and then I 'd have muffins ; of course, I can make those. And cojBFee, and poached eggs. Do you think that is a good breakfast. Mother!"

AI-modernized reading of the original text

*^ 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 sittingroom by the fire. The three children sat in a row on the great big sofa with the pillows tucked EXAMINATION DAT 245 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 roles 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 I Do you remember your cheese dreams at the House-in-the-Woods party, Jack? And the Hallowe 'en things in the chafing-dish f And the attic picnic. Brownie t I 'm sorry we can't have all those parties over again. Mother." **We '11 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, principally chafing-dish rules. *^Lots!"hesaid. ' * 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 hoiled potatoes, a bottle of milk and butter ; 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: **K you were ordering breakfast to-morrow morning, what would be the nicest things you could think of f 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, **Donel'' said Mildred, and **Done!" said Brownie. Jack was a trifle slower, and they EXAMINATION DAY 247 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; yon begin, Mildred,*' said Mother Blair. So Mildred read her question, and then taking her pad read what she had put down : **For luncheon I would have first, cream of celery soup, made by the rule I copied under cream soups ; I learned how to make those when Mother was sick. After that I would have creamed eggs on toast. (You know I can make those, Mother; I made them just last week.) And with them I 'd have hashed brown potatoes ; that rule I know by heart. And then for dessert I 'd stew those poor pears, like apple sauce, you know, only I wouldn't cut them up but keep them in halves the way Norah does ; and I 'd have the cookies with them. ' ' **Good, Mildred — splendid I I did not know you could manage so well Now let 's see what Brownie would have for breakfast.'' ** Cereal first; see the rule of cereal with dates, — only I 'd leave out the dates this time — and then I 'd have muffins ; of course, I can make those. And cojBFee, and poached eggs. Do you think that is a good breakfast. Mother!"

The fun of cooking