On the departure of the Thompsons, she marched into the kitchen, and surprised Aunt Hulda by pulling the table into the middle of the floor, spreading the cloth, and arranging the dishes for supper.
“Goodness gracious, child! What’s come to you?” cried the spinster, in astonishment.
“Don’t say a word, Aunt Hulda. I’ve been a bad girl, but I mean to do better. I’m not going to let you do all the work in this house.”
Aunt Hulda looked at the girl uneasily. Was this madcap endeavoring to take the reins out of her hands?
“Indeed! Praps you’d like to be mistress, and order me round.”
“No, indeed, Aunt Hulda; you shall be mistress, and I’ll be maid. It’s little I know, shame on me! but I want to learn; and you know how to teach so well that I shan’t bother you long with my clumsiness, I guess.”
“Well, that’s clever. You’re real handy, too; only you’ve put the knives and forks on the wrong side of the plates.”
“So I have,” said Becky, quickly “changing sides.” “Where are you going now, Aunt Hulda?”
“After wood; the fire’s getting low. It’s got to be chopped, too. But I can manage that.”