e
beforehand, of course. And you might win the prize, after all."

"What is the prize?"

"A twenty dollar gold piece!"

"What a grand prize! I didn't know it was such a big one."

"Well, you see, old Mrs. Van Zandt gives it. She's a crank on Domestic
Science and girls knowing how to cook and all that. And besides there'll
be lots of entries. All the girls all round the lake will send cakes."

"Can anybody send?"

"Any girl under sixteen. They call it the Sweet Sixteen Cake Prize."

"All right, let's do it," said Dotty, and Dolly said, "I'm willing, but
it seems nonsensical when we don't know a thing about making cake, and
less than a week to learn in. But we can have a try at it, anyway, and
we'll be in the fun. Hey, Dotsy?"

"All right, then," said Maisie, delightedly; "I'll tell Miss Travers
that you two girls will join the contest. She'll be delighted. She's at
the head of that committee."

Later the two D's conferred with Mrs. Rose about the matter.

"I'll be glad to have you do it," that lady said. "I always like to have
you learn anything domestic. Of course you can learn to make cake in a
week, if you have any knack at all. Go down to the kitchen now, and
Maria will give you your first lessons. Ask her to show you how to make
plain cup-cake first, and if you make a little more elaborate kind every
day, by the end of the week you ought to be able to concoct almost
anything. I don't want to be discouraging, but I can hardly think you'll
take the prize, for I remember last year the cakes were really most
astonishing affairs."

"No, we won't catch any prize," Dotty agreed; "but we want to be in the
bazaar, and the cake department is about as much fun as any. You see,
even if we don't take the prize, we sell our cakes for the biggest price
possible and that helps the bazaar along."

"Is it for charity?" asked Dolly.

"Yes; they hold it every year in the hotel, and all the camp people
take part. Oh, it's lots of fun; I'm so glad it's going to be while
you're here."

The two girls ran down to the kitchen, and informed Maria of their
immediate desire to learn to make cake.

"Bress gracious, chillun," said the surprised old coloured woman, "I'll
make all de cakes you all can eat. Don't you bodder 'bout makin' cakes
yo'self. Jes' leab dat to ole Maria."

"But you don't understand, Cookie," said Dotty. "We want to learn,
because we're going to make a cake to send to the fair, for the prize
contest."