A funny light glinted in the girl's eyes.
"I'm afraid the summer boarders would think they had been marked out for hard fortune, after eating my meals. What do I know about fancy cooking?"
"Nothing; and you don't want to. Most of them have got their stomachs so upset by their high-spiced Frenchy dishes that they've got to have a change of diet. You can cook fish to perfection, for I've tried you, and make good bread, and you are naturally neat and dainty, which goes for much. Take my cookbook home, and study up a few simple, nice recipes this winter, so's to be ready. Don't try for too much, but do excellently well all you undertake; and try it. You know I'll help you all I can; I believe you'll succeed!"
"But what rooms have I?"
"I knew you'd say that, and I am prepared with an answer. There is, to begin with, the spare room off your living-room."
"Oh, that?" broke in Sara, as if Miss Prue had touched on something sacred.
"Yes, just that: we all have too much veneration for our spare rooms.
Now, answer me truly, of what earthly use is it to you?"
"Why, none; but mother's best things"—
"Will lie there, given over to spiders, dampness, and moths, till they fall to pieces. Use them; that's what they were made for, and, so far, they haven't fulfilled their purpose in life much better than some of the rest of us," smiling at her own conceit. "Get them out, air them, and use them; then, if needs be, and you could get boarders enough to warrant it, you could have the roof raised, and make that loft into two nice rooms; but that is far ahead yet. Take two people first, for your spare room, then get Mrs. Updyke and Mrs. Filcher to lodge a few more, and you board them. Isn't that a scheme?" with a triumphant laugh.
"If I can do it; but I'm afraid, almost."