"All the ma-ter-i-als you'll need ready?" asked Round Cake Tin after a minute. "Yes," looking over the table, "I see--everything. Good!" [Illustration: "We must get to work."] "I brought the butter into the warm room an hour ago," said Mary Frances, "so that it would be softened by the time I needed it. I'll make the sponge cake first, as the oven will be cooler then." [Illustration: "We'll both be used!"] "Right!" cried the Cake Tins; "but when you open the oven door, be careful to do so gently, as any jarring will break the 'gas bubbles' very easily, doing much more harm toward making the cake heavy than the air; in fact, if the door is opened carefully, and not too soon, it does no harm." * * * * * With the Cake Tins' help, a warm and tired, but very happy little girl brought two golden brown fragrant cakes to the table one-half hour before lunch time. "Turn us on our sides," panted the Cake Tins, "to let us cool off quickly and evenly. My, but it was warm in there!" "How beautiful the cakes look!" said Mary Frances, doing as she was told. "Why not take a taste?" Square Cake Tin asked. "Oh, it's just before lunch time," said Mary Frances, "and would spoil my ap-pe-tite. Mother doesn't allow me----" "Just one sweet mouthful?" tempted Cake Tin. "It seems so good. I guess I will--just this once," and cutting a piece, she ate it. "Oh," she cried, "my beautiful cake! Look, it's sinking down in the middle!" The tears came to her eyes. [Illustration: "Oh, I'm so, so sorry"] "Oh, I'm so, so sorry," said Cake Tin, "I was too excited and proud!" [Illustration: One-half hour before lunch time.] "Why didn't you tell me," Mary Frances asked, "that a fresh cake, if cut, would 'fall?'" [Illustration] "Oh," said Cake Tin, "I meant to be so helpful. I'll try never to be too proud again." [Illustration: "Is it right?" asked the little girl, lifting them up to see.] CHAPTER XXIV THE TEA PARTY MARY FRANCES didn't eat much lunch. "What's the matter, child?" asked Aunt Maria, anxiously. "'Homesick' for Mother?--or was to-day's lesson too hard?" Then Mary Frances told of cutting and eating the fresh cake. "And, Aunt Maria," she said, the tears flowing down her cheeks, "it went down! down! down! until I was afraid it would rise out of the bottom of the pan the other way." [Illustration: "What's the matter, child?"] "Never mind, dear child," Aunt Maria comforted her. "I did the same thing to my first cake. I remember it well!" "You did, Aunt Maria?" "Yes," said the old lady. "I'll tell you what we'll do! I'll bake a cake in place of yours for to-night's party. Don't tell any one." [Illustration: "It went down! down! down!"] "Oh, thank you, Aunt Maria," cried Mary Frances; "that's so kind!" "Not a word to any one!" cau-tion-ed Aunt Maria. "What else do you have?" "Cocoa," said Mary Frances; "I can make that." "My," smiled Aunt Maria, "I'm so proud."