THE CAKE CONTEST
"Oh, do go in for it!" Edith Holmes was saying, as she and Maisie Norris sat on the edge of the Rose's shack and tried to persuade Dotty and Dolly to agree to their plan.
"But I never made a cake in my life," Dolly objected.
"Nor I, either," said Dotty; "I don't see how we can, Edith. You're a regular born cook, and that's different."
"But maybe you're a regular born cook, too," argued Edith; "you can't tell if you never have tried."
"Anyway, enter the contest just for fun," urged Maisie. "Everybody will help with the bazaar, and of course you want to be in it; and I want you to be in this contest, because all us girls are."
"I'd just as lieve," said Dolly, "only there's no chance of our winning the prize."
"Well, never mind if you don't. You'll have a lot of fun, and besides it will teach you to make cake, and that's a good thing to know. That funny old Maria of yours will help you."
"But would it be fair to have her help us?"
"Oh, of course not make the cake; you must do that yourselves. But she can tell you how, or show you how, and you can practise all you like beforehand, of course. And you might win the prize, after all."