"And mother's laughing, too," cried little Edwin. You can see him; but
I'd better introduce them.
1st--Frank: right hand, near oven.
2nd--George: holding bird.
3rd--Edwin: bearing tray and cover.
Now we can go on.
"I know mother's laughing," said Edwin, "because the back of her neck's
red!"
Mother kissed him, and said she'd be back at five o'clock, exactly; and
father shook the boys by the hand, and said he'd be home at five, too.
The moment they were gone, Frank beckoned his brothers to him, and said
in whispers;
"Let's ask the cook to give us leave, and then treat mother and father
to a jolly good dinner, and cook it ourselves!"
George clapped his hands with delight, and Edwin danced for a moment or
two quite on his own account.
"Let's have some shrimps and marmalade," said he, about to run out of
the room.
Frank and George laughed at him and told him he might buy some shrimps
for a sauce and the marmalade would do for the pastry. They went to
work, and Frank gave his orders quite like a grand cook. He tried the
cookery book, but, boy as he was, he threw it away in disgust. "For,"
said he, "if you live in one town, you'd have to send to another to get
all the things named in it." They had two nice birds and a joint, and
many other things.
When their parents came home, and saw the table laid out with what the
children had paid for out of their pocket money, they were very pleased;
and, mind, I won't be sure; but I don't think the boys lost anything by
their generosity. One thing I must tell, you as a secret--Edwin nearly
shed a tear when he found he had eaten so much of the meat, which his
money had bought, that he couldn't find room for his marmalade-tart.
[Illustration: The Young Sportsman]
_A hare runs away,
And little boys play;
And girls they have skippers,
While maidens work slippers._