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'Begin on those； and I'll fry like lightning on two griddles to keep
up with you；' and she rushed to the brush kitchen to turn her next
instalments that had been left to brown。 Hop Yet had retired to a
distant spot by the brook； and was washing dish…towels。 All Chinese
cooks are alike in their horror of a woman in the kitchen； but some
of them will unbend so far as to allow her to amuse herself so long
as they are not required to witness the disagreeable spectacle。
Bell delicately inserted the cake…turner under the curled edges of
the flapjacks and turned them over deftly； using a little too much
force； perhaps； in the downward stroke when she flung them back on
the griddle。
'Seems to me they come down with considerable of a thud；' she said；
reflectively。 'I hope they're not tough； for I should never hear the
last of it。 Guess I'll punch one with the handle of this tin shovel；
and see how it acts。 Goodness！ it's sort ofelastic。 That's funny。
Well； perhaps it's the way they ought to look。' Here she transferred
the smoking mysteries to her plate； passed a bit of pork over the
griddles； and； after ladling out eight more； flew off to the group at
the table。
'Are they good？' she was beginning to ask； when the words were frozen
on her lips by the sight of a significant tableau。
The four boys were standing on the bench that served instead of
dining…chairs； each with a plate and a pancake on the table in front
of them。 Jack held a hammer and spike； Scott Burton a hatchet；
Geoffrey a saw； and Philip a rifle。 Bell was nothing if not
intuitive。 No elaborate explanations ever were needed to show her a
fact。 Without a word she flung the plate of flapjacks she held as
far into a thicket as she had force to fling it； and then dropped on
her knees。
〃'Shoot； if you must； this old grey head；
But spare my flapjacks； sirs；〃 she said！
'What's the matter with them？ Tough？ I refuse to believe it。 Your
tools are too dull；that's all。 Use more energy！ Nothing in this
world can be accomplished without effort。'
'They're a lovely brown；' began Mrs。 Winship； sympathetically。
'And they have a very good flavour；' added Elsie。
'Don't touch them； dearest！' cried Bell； snatching the plate from
under Elsie's very nose。 'I won't have you made ill by my failures。
But as for the boys； I don't care a fig for them。 Let them make
flapjacks more to their taste； the odious things！ Polly Oliver； did
you put in that baking powder； as I told you； while I went for the
pork？'
Polly blanched。 'Baking powder？' she faltered。
'Yes； baking powder！ B…A…K…I…N…G P…O…W…D…E…R！ Do I make myself
plain？'
'Oh； baking powder； to be sure。 Well； now that you mention the
matter； I do remember that Dicky called me away just as I was getting
it； and now that I think of it； Elsie came just afterwards； andand…
…'
'And that's the whole of my story； O；' sang Jack。 'I recommend the
criminal to the mercy of the court。'
'A case of too many cooks；' laughed Dr。 Winship。 'Cheer up； girls；
better fortune next time。'
'There are eight more of them burning on the griddles this moment；
Polly；' said Bell； scathingly； 'and as they are yours； not mine； I
advise you to throw them in the brook； with the rest of the batter；
so that Hop Yet won't know that there has been a failure。'
'Some people blight everything they touch；' sighed Polly； gloomily；
as she departed for the kitchen。
'But when I lie in the green kirkyard …
'Oh； Polly； dear；' interrupted Margery； 'that apology will not serve
any longer； you've used it too often。'
'This is going to be entirely different；' continued Polly；
tragically。
'But when I lie in the green kirkyard；
With the mould upon my breasts
Say not that she made flapjacks well；
Only； she did her best。'
'We promise！' cried Bell。
CHAPTER VII： POLLY'S BIRTHDAY： FIRST HALF
IN WHICH SHE REJOICES AT THE MERE FACT OF HER EXISTENCE。
'〃O frabjous day！ Calooh！ Callay！〃
He chortled in his joy。'
Polly's birthday dawned auspiciously。 At six o'clock she was kissed
out of a sound sleep by Bell and Margery； and the three girls slipped
on their wrappers； and prepared to run through the trees for a
morning plunge in Mirror Pool。 Although it was August there was
still water enough in Minnehaha Brook to give one a refreshing dip。
Mirror Pool was a quarter of a mile distant and well guarded with
rocks and deep hidden in trees； but a little pathway had been made to
the water's edge； and thus the girls had easy access to what they
called The Mermaid's Bath。 A bay…tree was adorned with a little
redwood sign； which bore a picture of a mermaid； drawn by Margery；
and below the name these lines in rustic letters：…
'A hidden brook；
That to the sleeping woods all night
Singeth a quiet tune。'
Laura had not lived long enough in the woods to enjoy these cold
plunges； and； as her ideal was a marble tub； with scented water； and
a French maid to apply the same with a velvet sponge； it is not much
wonder。 She insisted that； though it was doubtless a very romantic
proceeding； the bottom and sides of the natural tub were quite too
rocky and rough for her taste； and that she should be in constant
terror of snakes curling round her toes。
'I've a great mind to wake Laura； just for once；' said Bell； opening
the tent door。 'There never was such a morning！ （I believe I've
said that regularly every day； but I simply never can get used to
it。） There must have been a wonderful sunrise； dears； for the glow
hasn't faded yet。 Not a bit of morning fogthat's good for Elsie。
And what a lovely day for a birthday！ Did they use to give you
anything like this in Vermont； Polly？'
'Hardly；' said Polly； peering over Bell's shoulder。 'Let's see。
What did they give us in Vermont this month？ Why； I can't think of
anything but dog…days； hot nights； and hay fever； but that sounds
ungrateful。 Why； Geoff's up already！ There's Elsie's bunch of
vines； and twigs； and pretty things hanging on her tent…door。 He's
been off on horseback。 Just my luck to have him get up first。 Jack
always does； you know； and last night I sewed up the tent…opening
with carpet…thread； good and tight； overhandstitches I wouldn't be
ashamed of at a sewing…school。'
'Oh you naughty girl！' laughed Bell。 'The boys could rip it open
with a knife in half the time it took you to sew it。'
'Certainly。 I didn't mean to keep them sewed up all day； but I
thought I'd like Jack to remember me the first thing this morning。'
'Girls；' whispered Margery； excitedly； 'don't stand there mooningor
sunningfor ever！ I thought there was a gopher in this tent last
night。 I heard something scratching； and I thought it was the dog
outside； but just look at these two holes almost under Laura's
pillow！'
'Let's fill them up； cover them overanything！' gasped Bell。 'Laura
will never sleep here another night if she sees them。'
'Nobody insured Laura against gophers；' said Polly。 'She must take
the fortunes of war。'
'I wouldn't wake her；' said Margery。 'She didn't sleep well； and her
face is flushed。 Come； or we shall be late for breakfast。'
When they returned； fresh and rosy； from their bath； there was a stir
of life in all the tents。 Pancho had come from the stage…station
with mail； an odour of breakfast issued from the kitchen； where Hop
Yet was humming a fragment of Chinese song； that ran something like
this；not loud； but unearthly enough； as Bell used to say； to spoil
almost any cooking：…
＇Music follows＇
Fong fong mongmong tiu he sun yi…u
sow chong how ki…u me yun tan…tar che ku choi song！
Dicky was abroad； radiant in a new suit of clothes； and Elsie pushed
her golden head out between the curtains； and proclaimed herself
strong enough for a wrestling…match with any boy or man about the
camp。
But they found Laura sitting on the edge of her straw bed； directly
over the concealed gopher…holes； a mirror in her hand and an
expression of abject misery on her countenance。
'What's the matter？' cried the girls in one breath。 But they needed
no answer； as she turned her face towards the light； for it was
plainly a case of poison…oakone eye almost closed； and the cheek
scarlet and swollen。
'Where do you suppose you got it？' asked Bell。
'Oh； I don't know。 It's everywhere； so I don't see how I ever hoped
to escape it。 Yet I've worn gloves every minute。 I think I must
have touched it when I went up the mountain trail with Jack。 I'm a
perfect fright already； and I suppose it has only begun。'
'Is it very painful？' asked Polly； sympathetically。 'Oh； you do look
so funny； I can hardly help laughing； but I'm as sorry as I can be。'
'I should expect you to laughyou generally do；' retorted Laura。
'No； it's not painful yet； but I don't care about thatit's looking
so ridiculous。 I wonder if Dr。 Winship could send me home。 I wish
now that I had gone with Scott； for I can't be penned up in this tent
a week。'
'Oh； it won't hurt you to go out；' said Bell； 'and you can lie in the
sitting…room。 Just wait； and let mamma try and cure you。 She's a
famous doctor。' And Bell finished dressing hurriedly； and went to
her m