"Sauce Pan!" one of the Kitchen People near him whispered loudly, "Sauce Pan! Why don't you speak?" [Illustration] "Don't bother me. I'm asleep," muttered Sauce Pan drowsily, "sound asleep!" Mary Frances gasped. "What 'n awful story!" exclaimed the one who had first spoken. "You're not very polite to question my word to my very face," Sauce Pan retorted angrily. "Now, if someone else had told you, that would have been different; then you'd had some excuse." "Come," thought Mary Frances, "that's too silly! I'll put an end to this. I don't need any help with this simple recipe." Seizing Sauce Pan quite carelessly, she quickly made the cocoa. [Illustration: Mary Frances carried all her dolls to the window seat in her room.] CHAPTER XVI THE DOLLS' KITCHEN PARTY "NOW, everything is ready," she said, glancing carefully at the table she had set with her little dishes; "I'll go up and bring the dolls. Wait a minute, Mary Frances," she added after a moment's pause. "Let's see if everything is ready. There's Thimble Biscuits Jam Cocoa "Better look in the oven!" [Illustration: "Better look in the oven!"] "Oh, my, I'm glad you 'thought me,' Aunty Rolling Pin," cried Mary Frances, opening the oven door. "Oh, dear me! Most of the Thimble Biscuits are burnt up and the big ones are just done, I guess!" "The thicker things are, the 'slower' the oven, child. The thinner, the hotter the oven----" [Illustration: "Oh, dear me!"] "Aunty Rolling Pin," cried Mary Frances, not realizing she had interrupted, "there are enough Thimble Biscuits not burnt to go 'round. Isn't that good? And the dolls can't make themselves sick with them." "It's not much of a waste," smiled Aunty Rolling Pin, "and (seeming to be seriously thinking) the dolls can't make themselves sick on them--eating too many, I suppose." [Illustration: "You see it's like this"] "Well," said Mary Frances, "you see, it's like this: "When I my dolls invite to tea, It is a pretty sight to see The things one seldom gets to eat All on the table spread, so sweet; But to my dollies I explain, Don't eat too much--you'll have a pain. "Then, just to save them such a trial, I let them sit and look a while At cakes, and tarts, and candies, too. Then eat them up myself--wouldn't you? For thus they're saved from being ill, And I, likewise, a doctor's bill. But--just between you, dear, and me-- They couldn't eat at all, you see." [Illustration: "Dolls can't make themselves sick."] [Illustration: THE DOLL'S KITCHEN PARTY] And away ran Mary Frances to bring the dolls. * * * * * "It was a lovely Tea Party, wasn't it, Angie?" sighed Mary Frances, putting her family to bed after it was all over. [Illustration: After it was all over.]