Two Little Women on a Holiday Part 13

"Not much you're not!" declared Alicia. "Not till you tell us what Mrs.

Berry said."

"Then you must ask me with due politeness and proper courtesy. I can't report to a lot of cackling geese! You're worse than parrots!"

"Please, dear, sweet Dollyrinda, what DID the lady say?" begged Dotty, in wheedling tones.

"Ah, yes, tell us," and Alicia took the cue. "Angel child! Beautiful blonde Towhead! what,--oh, vouchsafe to deign to tell us, WHAT did she say?"

"Whoop it up, Dollums," said Bernice, laughing, "out with it, you little rascal. Did she hold up her hands in horror?"

"She did NOT," said Dolly, with dignity. "She said, that if Alicia chose, she might invite the gentleman to tea on Friday, and that she would see to it that there was a nice tea-party prepared for his benefit. There, WHO'S a good amba.s.sador?"

"You are! you blessed angel!" cried Alicia, warmly; "you're a wonder! a marvel! a peach! a pippin! Oh, you're just all there is of it! Did she REALLY say that?"

"Oh, you want to know what she REALLY said," and Dolly's head went on one side, as she began to tease again.

"Of course, that's what she really said," interposed Dotty, who didn't want any more high words. "'Licia, be satisfied with that, and scoot to bed."

"Nothing of the sort. We're going to make fudge to celebrate! I told you I had my chafing-dish; don't you girls feel fudgy?"

"I could nibble a morsel," Bernice said, "and not half try. How about you, Dot?"

"I'm right there--with bells on!"

"Isn't it too late?" objected Dolly.

"Now, look here, priggy-wig," and Alicia shook a finger at her, "if you don't quit that spoilsporting of yours, there'll be trouble in camp!

The truth is, there's not much fun in making fudge, just 'cause there's n.o.body to forbid it! At school, we have to do it on the sly. Here, if Mrs. Berry or Uncle Jeff knew we thought of it, they'd send forty 'leven footmen and maids to help us!" "That's so," laughed Dolly; "I wasn't thinking of them. But isn't it time we all went to bed?"

"Of course it is, young hayseed. That's why we're staying up. Also, it makes you so delightfully sleepy next morning! Now, do you come to this fudge party or do you go to bed?"

"Do I come to it!" cried Dolly, in disdain. "Well, I like that! Why, your old fudge party is FOR me! I'm the heroine of the hour! Who went on your desperate and dangerous errand, I'd like to know! Who got permission to invite your old Coriell man to tea? Come, now, declare the fudge party a feast in my honour, or call it off!"

"It is! it is!" laughed Alicia. "To the victor belong the spoils. The party is ALL for you, and if you will accept our humble invitation come right into our room and make yourself at home."

So the two D's went into the other girls' room, and Alicia got out her chafing-dish set and prepared for the feast.

"How are you going to make fudge with nothing but chocolate?" laughed Dotty.

"That's so," said Alicia, looking blank. "I forgot I had to have milk and b.u.t.ter and sugar and a lot of things. Guess we can't do it."

"Guess we can!" retorted Bernice, and she pushed a bell b.u.t.ton.

"Oh, Bernie!" exclaimed Dotty, "you oughtn't to call the maid so late!

She'll be in bed."

"Then she won't answer," said Bernice, calmly.

But in a moment a maid did come, and smilingly listened to their requests.

"Some milk, please," said Alicia, "and sugar, and b.u.t.ter,--"

"All the things for fudge, miss?" asked the girl, her eyes taking in the chafing-dish. "Certainly. In a moment."

She disappeared and the girls burst into peals of laughter.

"It's impossible to do anything frisky here," said Alicia, "because everything we want to do, is looked on as all right!"

"Well, it isn't a dreadful thing to make fudge of an evening," put in Bernice.

"No," agreed Dolly, "but I wouldn't think of doing it at my house.

After I'd gone to my room for the night, I mean."

"It's a funny thing," said Alicia, "but all the fun of it's gone now. I don't care two cents for the fudge, it's the excitement of doing it secretly, that appeals to me. We do it at school, and we have to be so fearfully careful lest the teachers hear us."

"I know what you mean," said Dolly, "but I don't believe I feel that way. I love fudge, but I'd a whole lot rather have people know we're making it than to do it on the sly."

"You're a little puritan," and Alicia flew over and kissed her. "No wonder Mrs. Berry said yes to you, you probably made her think it was a duty to humanity!"

When the maid returned with the trayful of things they had asked for, there was also a goodly plate of frosted cakes and a dish of fruit.

"In case you might feel hungry," she explained. "Mrs. Berry was saying the other day, how hungry young folks do be gettin'. Shall I return for the tray, miss?"

"No," said Dolly, kindly. "You go to bed. We'll set the things out in the hall, when we're finished, and you can take them away in the morning."

"Thank you, miss," and the maid went away, leaving the girls to their spread.

"I'm not going to make fudge," said Alicia, "there's enough here to eat, without it."

"I'll do it, then," said Dolly. "I'm not going to make all this trouble and then not seem to appreciate it."

She began to cut the chocolate, and Dotty helped her.

Alicia made the chafing-dish ready, and Bernice set out a table for them.

"This is splendid fudge," Alicia remarked, as at last they sat enjoying the feast. "You must give me your recipe."

"Probably just like yours," smiled Dolly; "but it always tastes better if somebody else makes it."

"Not always! It depends on WHO makes it. This is fine!"

"Even if we are not doing it on the sly? I declare, Alicia, I can't understand that feeling of yours. I s'pose you don't care so much about Mr. Coriell, since Mrs. Berry is willing."

"It does take the snap out of it," Alicia admitted. "But I couldn't do that on the sly, anyway. I mean if I had him HERE. I wish I could meet him somewhere else,--at some tearoom, or somewhere."

"Oh, Alicia, I think you're horrid! Nice girls don't do things like that!" Dolly's big blue eyes expressed such amazement that Alicia laughed outright.

"You little innocent!" she cried.