torm that raged without.

As if he felt the need of unusual vigilance, old Bose lay down on the
mat before the door, and pussy had the warm hearth all to herself. If
any late wanderer had looked in at midnight, he would have seen the fire
blazing up again, and in the cheerful glow the old cat blinking her
yellow eyes, as she sat bolt upright beside the spinning-wheel, like
some sort of household goblin, guarding the children while they slept.

When they woke, like early birds, it still snowed, but up the little
Bassetts jumped, broke the ice in their pitchers, and went down with
cheeks glowing like winter apples, after a brisk scrub and scramble
into their clothes. Eph was off to the barn, and Tilly soon had a great
kettle of mush ready, which, with milk warm from the cows, made a
wholesome breakfast for the seven hearty children.

"Now about dinner," said the young housekeeper, as the pewter spoons
stopped clattering, and the earthen bowls stood empty.

"Ma said, have what we liked, but she didn't expect us to have a real
Thanksgiving dinner, because she won't be here to cook it, and we don't
know how," began Prue, doubtfully.

"I can roast a turkey and make a pudding as well as anybody, I guess.
The pies are all ready, and if we can't boil vegetables and so on, we
don't deserve any dinner," cried Tilly, burning to distinguish herself,
and bound to enjoy to the utmost her brief authority.

"Yes, yes!" cried all the boys, "let's have a dinner anyway; Ma won't
care, and the good victuals will spoil if they ain't eaten right up."

"Pa is coming to-night, so we won't have dinner till late; that will be
real genteel and give us plenty of time," added Tilly, suddenly
realizing the novelty of the task she had undertaken.

"Did you ever roast a turkey?" asked Roxy, with an air of deep interest.

"Should you darst to try?" said Rhody, in an awe-stricken tone.

"You will see what I can do. Ma said I was to use my jedgment about
things, and I'm going to. All you children have got to do is to keep out
of the way, and let Prue and me work. Eph, I wish you'd put a fire in
the best room, so the little ones can play in there. We shall want the
settin'-room for the table, and I won't have 'em pickin' 'round when we
get things fixed," commanded Tilly, bound to make her short reign a
brilliant one.

"I don't know about that. Ma didn't tell us to," began cautious Eph, who
felt that this invasion of the sacred best parlor was a