21. STEAMED RICE 111 22. BOILED RICE 112 23. POACHED EGGS 114 24. RICE PUDDING 117 25. BOILED MUTTON 118 26. SAUCE FOR BOILED MUTTON 119 27. APPLE SNOW 127 28. STUFFED EGGS 136 29. PICKANINNY FUDGE 141 30. WALNUT KISSES 142 31. SPONGE CAKE 145 32. DREAM CAKE 150 33. QUEEN OF HEARTS TARTS 160 34. PASTRY 160 35. SALAD DRESSING 166 36. CREAMED NEW CABBAGE 167 37. BREAD PUDDING 167 38. BANANA BREAD PUDDING 168 39. HARD SAUCE 168 40. PAN-BROILED BEEFSTEAK 169 [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration: The Kitchen People] Tea Kettle Sauce Pan Boiler Pan Big Iron Pot Pie Plate & Tea Pot Coffee Pot Mantel Clock & Blue Pitcher Auntie Rolling Pin Toaster Man Baking Dish & Potato Masher Platter & Ladle Yellow Bowl & Measuring Cup Frying Pan Basket Perforated Skimmer & Can Opener Round & Square Cake Tins Iron Griddle & Little Pitcher Fork Knife & Spoon CHAPTER I THE KITCHEN PEOPLE ALL the Kitchen People were terribly excited. "I see my finish!" puffed Tea Kettle from his perch on the stove. "That's slang!" snapped Sauce Pan, who sat near by. "Slang or no slang," said Tea Kettle, "I'll melt if somebody doesn't come fill me soon." "Where's the cook? Where's the mistress?" asked Boiler Pan. "Why, the cook's left--left this morning and the mistress's sick. What's that I smell burning?" "That's the potatoes in the oven," said Toaster. "Oh, my lid!" cried Tea Kettle holding his nose. "Pour on water! Quick!" "Whew!" exclaimed Coffee Pot. "Whew!" cried Pie Plate. "Whew!" clanged Big Iron Pot. [Illustration: "Oh, my lid!"] "Whew!" mimicked Sauce Pan. "Whew!--That won't help! If you say Whew! to an oven door, will it open?--Somebody open the door!" "Good idea, Saucy!" exclaimed Tea Kettle. "You might try it yourself!" "Owoooh! O-w-o-o-o-h!" strained little Sauce Pan at the heavy door. "O-w-o-o-o-h! I can't-t budge it! Cauch! Cawc! Ochee!" he coughed. "What smoke! Somebody else come try!" "Get out of the way, then," said Big Iron Pot, making heavily toward the stove. "Knew your arms were too short," laughed Tea Kettle, seeing Iron Pot couldn't reach the knob. "Well, they're as long as yours," said Iron Pot angrily. "Kick it open!" sug-gest-ed Sauce Pan. "Everybody allowed one kick!" "First go!" exclaimed Iron Pot. Whack! came a muffled sound. Then, "Oh, my poor feet! Oh! Oh!" "What's the matter?" asked Sauce Pan. "Nothing," said Big Iron Pot, hopping around on one little leg, and holding the other with his hands. "Only I wish you'd had 'First go!'" [Illustration: "I wish you'd had 'First go!'"] [Illustration]