n Norah came
to their aid and gave them the wooden potato-masher to use instead of
the spoon they were working with. The molds were set away to get hard,
and then they asked their mother for something else to do.

"I've been thinking," she said, "that we ought to have for supper
something the men would like very much; they will have had turkey once
already, and perhaps they will be tired of it. Would you like scalloped
oysters?"

"Mother, we'd perfectly love them!" exclaimed Mildred. "But do you think
we could make them? I always thought they were very hard to make."

"My dear, they are the easiest thing in the world. To save time, you may
copy the rule now, and then to-morrow, when everybody is here, I will
not have to stop visiting and explain it."

SCALLOPED OYSTERS

1 quart of oysters.
2 packages of crackers, or as many loose ones--about half a pound.
Roll fine.
Salt, pepper, and butter.
1 small cup of milk.

Drain the oysters and examine each one carefully to see that it is
free from shell; strain and measure the juice; add to it an equal
quantity of milk. Butter a deep baking-dish and put in a layer of
crumbs, and cover these with a layer of oysters; sprinkle with
salt and pepper and dot with butter; put on another layer of
crumbs, then one of oysters, season, and so on till the dish is
full, with a layer of crumbs on top; cover with small bits of
butter; pour on the oyster juice and milk, and bake about half an
hour, or till brown. Serve at once--it must not stand.

"Sometimes, instead of baking these in one large dish, I fill little
brown baking-dishes in just the same way; only, of course, I do not bake
these so long--only ten or fifteen minutes. And sometimes for a lunch
party, I get from the fish-market very large oyster, or clam, or scallop
shells, and fill those instead of the little dishes, and they are very
pretty."

"Mother Blair, those would be sweet--simply sweet! I think I'll give a
luncheon and have them."

"Do, Mildred, and I'll help," said Brownie, unselfishly.

"Or you can have a luncheon and _I'll_ help!" Mildred replied. "And now
what else can we do to-day, Mother? Make some sort of dessert?"

"Yes, I think so; try this; it's simple and very nice."

CHOCOLATE CREAM

1 pint of milk.
4 tablespoonfuls of sugar.
2 squares of unsweetened chocolate.
1 tablespoonful of cornstarch.
1 pinch of salt.
1