“You are a funny man. I never know what you are about to tell me,” Margaret said to him. “Now that reminds me that Mother has cut out and hemmed on the machine, the dearest little white apron for me to give my Grandma Thanksgiving Day when we go there to dinner. Do you know how to put in tucks?” “Upon my word I do. Just show me where they’re to go and I’ll show you how to put them in,” proudly said Sir Bodkin. Margaret went to get the gift and soon returned with it. “Look here!” she said and held up a piece of white lawn, hemmed on the sides and across the bottom. It was twenty-seven inches wide and several inches longer. “Mother allowed some material for the three tucks,” Margaret explained. “She said each tuck was to be one-quarter inch wide and one-half inch apart. We can baste in the tucks, can’t we? Then Mother will stitch them in on her machine.” “Oh, yes, My Lady, we can easily do that. First we shall have to measure the distance, then crease them in, then baste,” Sir Bodkin told her. Margaret took the tape measure out of her work-basket and the tucking began. [Illustration: “Measure one inch up from the hem top”] “Measure one inch up from the hem top and crease the first tuck with your nail then pleat it with your fingers across the bottom of the apron,” Sir Bodkin said. Margaret creased very carefully and every so often measured until she had marked the tuck across from one side of the little apron to the other. [Illustration] “That looks very even. Now, Baster, you rogue, baste this tuck very carefully,” said the King. Baster was harnessed with basting-thread, with the end knotted and then he waited for his little mistress to begin. “Step along the tuck one-quarter inch from the creased edge. Take medium-sized steps, sir,” ordered Sir Bodkin, “but before you start take a few slides back and forth through the emery to glide in and out easily. Lawn is a little stiff sometimes, My Lady,” he said to Margaret. After Baster was shined as bright in the emery as he could be shined, Margaret held the tuck in her left hand and with her right pushed and held Baster as he stepped along. “Use your tape measure, as you go along, to be sure he keeps his steps in the right track always from the top,” reminded Sir Bodkin. “That one is basted,” cried Margaret at the end of the first tuck. [Illustration: Basting first tuck] “And very nicely done, too,” praised the King. “How shall I measure the second one?” asked Margaret. “Measure one inch from the basting for the second crease,” answered Sir Bodkin. When the second tuck was creased and basted and the third one done the same way, Margaret measured the apron from top to bottom. “Don’t they take up the goods fast? It’s about twenty-seven inches long now,” she laughed. “That’s what tucks do. They always take up twice as much goods as they are wide. We use them for dresses to allow for shrinking. And to allow for children growing, too,” he laughed.