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'I prefer you as you are；' answered Laura； laughingly。 'Let us start
at once。'
'Do you hear that； young person？ She prefers me as I are！ Now see
what magic power her generosity has upon me！' And he darted into the
tent； from which he issued in a moment with his Derby hat； a
manzanita cane； a pocket…handkerchief tied about his throat； and a
flower pinned on his flannel camping…shirta most ridiculous figure；
since nothing seems so out of place in the woods as any suggestion of
city costumes or customs。 Laura was in high good…humour； and looked
exceedingly brilliant and pretty； as she always did when she was the
central figure of any group or the bright particular star of any
occasion。
'Be home before dark；' said Dr。 Winship。 'Pancho； keep a look…out
for the pack…mule。 Truth； one of the pack…mules has disappeared。'
'So？ Dumpling or Ditto？'
'Ditto； curiously enough。 His name should have led him not to set an
example； but to follow one。'
Elsie came。
Perhaps you thought that this was going to be an exciting story； and
that something would happen to keep her at the Tacitas ranch； but
nothing did。 Everything came to pass exactly as it was arranged； and
Jack met his mother and sister at twelve o'clock some four miles from
the camp； and escorted them to the gates。
'Welcome' had been painted on twenty different boards or bits of
white cloth and paper； and nailed here and there on the trees that
lined the rough wood…road； the strains of an orchestra； formed of a
guitar； banjo； castanets； Chinese fiddle； and tin cans； greeted them
from a distance； but were properly allowed to die away in silence
when the guest neared the tents。 Everything wore a new and smiling
face； and Elsie never came more dangerously near being squeezed to
death。
Elsie； in the prettiest of gingham dresses； and her cloud of golden
hair braided in two funny little pugs to keep it out of the dust；
Elsie； with a wide hat that shaded her face； already a little tanned
and burned； no longer colourless； Elsie； with no lines of pain in her
pretty forehead； and the hollow ring gone from her voice； Elsie； who
jumped over the wheel of the wagon； and hugged her huggers with the
strength of a young bear！ It was too good to believe； and nobody did
quite believe it for days。
At three o'clock the happiest party in the world assembled at the
rough dining…table under the sycamore…trees。
Elsie beamed upon the feast from the high…backed manzanita chair； a
faint colour in her cheeks； and starry prisms of light in a pair of
eyes that had not sparkled for many a weary month。 Hop Yet smiled a
trifle himself； wore his cap with a red button on the top to wait
upon the table； and ministered to the hungry people with more
interest and alacrity than he had shown since he had been dragged
from Santa Barbara； his Joss； and his nightly game of fantan。 And
such a dinner as he had prepared in honour of the occasion！longer
by four courses than usual； and each person was allowed two plates in
the course of the meal。
BILL OF FARE FOR HER MAJESTY'S DINNER
Quail Soup。 Crackers。
Chili Colorado。
（Mutton stew； in Spanish style；
with Chili peppers； tomatoes；
and onions。）
Cold Boiled Ham。 Fried Potatoes。
Apples and Onions stewed together。
Ginger…snaps。 Pickles。
Peaches； Apricots； and Nectarines。
California Nuts and Raisins。
Coffee。
And last of all； a surprise of Bell's； flapjacks； long teased for by
the boys； and prepared and fried by her own hands while the merry
party waited at table； to get them smoking hot。
She came in flushed with heat and pride； the prettiest cook anybody
ever saw； with her hair bobbed up out of the way and doing its best
to escape； a high…necked white apron； sleeves rolled up to the elbow；
and an insinuating spot of batter in the dimple of her left cheek。
'There！' she cried； joyfully； as she deposited a heaping plate in
front of her mother； and set the tin can of maple syrup by its side。
'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；'