“A very excellent menu, indeed,” said Amy, while a rather amused look passed over her face. “What do you suppose it will cost?” “I don’t know,” said Mabel. “You cast it out and see. You understand prices better than I do.” For a while there was silence, and nothing was heard but the scratching of a pencil. Then Amy read aloud:—“Lobster salad, 3s. 3d.; boiled fowls and egg sauce, 7s. 11d.” “Oh, dear!” said Mabel. “Well, you see, it is spring, and fowls are dear in the spring. I do not suppose you could get a fine pair for less than 3s. 6d. each. Beefsteak and oyster pie, 5s.; strawberry cream (made with your own jam), 1s. 8d.; orange jelly, 1s. 4d.; tarts and cheesecakes we will calculate roughly at 1s. 4d.; a little fruit, 2s.; tea and coffee (say 2d. per person), 1s. 4d.; bread and butter, 2s. Altogether say £1 5s. 10d.” “That will never do,” said Mabel. “We must take something away.” “For one thing, you might take the tarts and cheesecakes. Surely they are not necessary.” “One wants a little trifle of the sort to conclude the meal,” said Mabel. “Then make jam sandwich. I can give you a simple recipe, by following which you can produce a dishful for less than sixpence.” “Thanks. But that will not make matters right. We must reduce much more than that.” “Suppose that before doing so we draw up a dinner, and see what we can make of that. I will furnish the menu this time.” “Very good. Only remember to take into consideration Emma’s limited capacity,” said Mabel. Again there was silence. After a few minutes Amy read aloud once more:— MENU. Potato Soup. Tomatoes Farcies. Rolled Loin of Mutton and Sour Plums. Mashed Potatoes, with Brown Potatoes round. Stewed Celery. Ready-made Pudding. Orange Jelly. Macaroni Cheese. Dessert. Coffee. ESTIMATE. Potato soup, 11d.; tomatoes farcies, 1s.; mutton, forcemeat, gravy, &c., 6s. 9d.; potatoes and celery, 6d.; orange jelly, 1s. 4d.; ready-made pudding, 1s. 3d.; macaroni cheese, 9d.; dessert, 3s.; coffee, 10d. Altogether, 16s. 4d. Mabel was silent for a moment from amazement. Then she said— “That is very extraordinary. I would not have believed it.” “Yes, dear. But you must take into account that you drew up rather a luxurious tea; and my dinner is a very simple and homely one. Therefore you were scarcely fair to yourself.” “I only described the sort of high tea we should have had at home before I was married.” “And you forgot that your mother did not need to make a sovereign cover all expenses.” “And yet your dinner sounds more satisfactory than my tea, and I am sure it would look more. I wonder if Emma could manage a dinner like that; she is not entirely ignorant. She can roast a joint, and boil potatoes very well, and she can bake a pudding——”