"I has laid the servants' breakfast in the 'all, Miss Polly; I thought as you shouldn't be bothered with them, with so to speak such a lot on your hands this morning. So I has laid it there, and lit a fire for them, and all Jane has to do when she's ready is to put the kettle on, for the tea's on the table in the small black caddy, so there'll be no worriting over them. And ef you please, Miss Polly, I made bold to have a cup of tea made and ready for you, Miss--here it is, if you please, Miss, and a cut off the brown home-made loaf." "Delicious," said Polly; "I really am as hungry as possible, although I did not know it until I saw this nice brown bread-and-butter. Why, you have splendid ideas in you, Maggie; you'll make a first-rate cook yet. But now"--here the young housekeeper thought it well to put on a severe manner--"I must know what breakfast you have arranged for the servants' hall. It was good-natured of you to think of saving me trouble, Maggie, but please understand that during this week you do nothing on your own responsibility. _I_ am the housekeeper, and although I don't say I am old, I am quite old enough to be obeyed." "Very well, Miss," said Maggie, who had gone to open her oven, and poke up the fire while Polly was speaking; "it's a weight off my shoulders, Miss, for I wasn't never one to be bothered with thinking. Mother says as I haven't brains as would go on the top of a sixpenny-bit, so what's to be expected of me, Miss. There, the oven's all of a beautiful glow, and 'ull bake lovely. You was asking what breakfast I has put in the servants' 'all--well, cold bacon and plenty of bread, and a good pat of the cooking butter. Why, Miss Polly, oh, lor, what is the matter, Miss?" "Only that you have done very wrong, Maggie," said Polly. "You would not like to have lots of good things going up to the dining-room, and have no share yourself. I call it selfish of you, Maggie, for of course you knew you would be in the kitchen with me, and would be sure to come in for bits. Cold bacon, indeed! Poor servants, they're not likely to care for my housekeeping if that is all I provide for them! No, Maggie, when I made out my programme, I thought of the servants as well as the family. I will just refer to my tablets, Maggie, and see what breakfast I arranged for the hall for Monday morning." While Polly was speaking Maggie opened her eyes and mouth wider and wider and when the young lady read aloud from her tablets she could not suppress an expostulatory "oh!" "Monday--kitchen breakfast," read Polly--"Bacon, eggs, marmalade, sardines. Hot coffee, fresh rolls, if possible." "My word, but that is wasteful," said Maggie. Polly's cheeks flushed. She glanced at her small handmaid, raised her hand in a reproving manner, and continued to read--