Boy Blue and His Friends | Page 9

"Lady Bird."
Their father had to paint the names on the sleds, for the sleds were
twins, too.
After school and on Saturday you could often find Jack and Jill, with
"Racer" and "Lady Bird," coasting down the hill together.
But this story is not about coasting in the winter.

It is about a slide Jack and Jill took one day in summer.
Mary and Tommy Tucker went to Jack's house one morning to play
with the twins.
Jill saw them coming and ran out to meet them.
"Come down to the sand-bank," she cried. "We've got something new
down there. Papa gave it to us."
So they all took hold of hands and ran down the hill.
"Be careful, Jack," said Tommy.
"Don't fall down and break your crown."
When they reached the sand-bank, what do you think they found?
There was an old stove with a great big oven.
Some of the covers were gone, and there was no funnel. But the oven
was all right, and that was what Mary needed.
"Let's make our oven full of cakes and pies," said Mary.
"I'll build the fire," said Jack.
"And I'll help you get the wood," said Tommy.
How the boys worked to get some dry leaves and sticks!
Of course they could not light the fire but it was almost as much fun.
The little girls went to work at once getting out their table and dishes.
The table was a long board, and their dishes came from everywhere.
The pie plates were pretty, round shells that Mary had brought from the
seashore.

Grandma Hall had given them some small tins to make cakes in.
Then there was a cracked bowl and a teapot without a handle.
Plenty of dishes, you see, for a morning's baking.
"What shall we bake this morning?" said Mary.
"Oh, let's make some plum cake and blueberry cake.
"Then we can make some blueberry pies and some apple pies."
"Oh yes!" said Mary, "and I'll make some apple turnovers."
By this time the boys had the fire laid and the wood-box filled with
wood.
"What can we do now?" said Tommy.
"You can get us some blueberries for our cakes and pies," said Jill.
So the boys took the cracked bowl and filled it with little round seeds
they called blueberries.
"I know where I can get some apples," said Mary, and away she ran
across the field.
She was back again in a few minutes with her apron full of little green
apples.
"You know, Jill," she said, "green apples make very good pies."
Just then the boys came back with the berries and the baking was
begun.
After a dozen pies had been put into the oven, Jill said, "Oh, Jack! we
must have some more water.
"Will you run up to the house and get some?"

"Yes," said Jack, "if someone will go with me."
Tommy had gone for more apples and Mary was mixing her cake.
"I will go with you," said Jill. "Here is our pail."
So Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail of water.
Their mother let them fill their pail.
Then she gave them four cookies that she had just taken from the oven.
When they started down the hill, Jack began to run.
[Illustration]
"Oh, do be careful, Jack!" said Jill, "or you will--"
But she didn't say any more.
For down went Jack, down went Jill, and down went the pail.
Tommy and Mary saw them fall and ran to help them.
"Oh, Jack!" said Mary, "did you break your crown?"
"No," laughed Jack, "but Jill came tumbling after."
"We ought to have known better than to let Jack and Jill go for a pail of
water," said Tommy.
"I've broken the cookies," said Jill.
"Let's go and ask Mamma for some more."
So they all went up the hill for more water and cookies.
This time Mary and Tommy carried the water down the hill.
The pies were baked, and the cakes ready to put into the oven in a very

few minutes.
When Jill's mother called the children to dinner, there was a long row
of cakes and pies and, cookies.
"We ought to eat our dinner here," said Mary.
"I like mother's pies and cookies best," said Jack.
So Jack and Jill ran up the hill once more, and Mary and Tommy
climbed over the fence and ran across the garden to see what Grandma
Hall had for their dinner.
Little Jack Homer
Sat in a corner,
Eating his Christmas pie;
He
put in his thumb
And pulled out a plum,
And said, "What a big boy
am I!"
JACK HORNER'S PIE
I am going to tell you about another one of Boy Blue's friends.
His name was Jack Horner.
At least, Boy Blue