"No. I'm not joking. Write your letter. Give me the fifty cents. I'll find a safe way. Give me the half dollar now. I'll put the biscuits in the pans. Is the oven hot?"
"Pretty near."
"I'll try it—with one biscuit, anyway," chuckled Laura, seizing the half dollar her friend gave out of her purse.
In ten minutes Eve came dancing back from her room with the letter written.
"How you going to send the money, Laura?" she demanded. "Here's the letter—all ready."
"And the money will be ready in a minute or two. That oven's good and hot," said Laura.
"What do you mean?" gasped Eve. "You're not baking the half dollar?"
"Yes, ma'am," laughed Laura. "That's what I'm doing."
She dropped the range door and showed a small pan with one lonesome little biscuit in it.
"It's baking fine, too. I want it to be a hard, crusty one——"