Tess and Dot, the morning after Mrs. Adams had made them the tea party, had a party for their dolls in the big bedroom. Tess set her folding table with the best of the dolls’ china. There were peanut butter sandwiches, and a sliced pickle, and a few creamed walnuts that Ruth had bought at the Unique Candy Store and divided between the younger girls.
They sat the dolls about the table and went down to the kitchen for milk and hot water for the “cambric tea,” as Mrs. Adams called the beverage. When they came back Tess, who entered first, almost dropped the pitcher of hot water.
“My goodness me!” she ejaculated.
“What’s the matter, Tessie?” asked Dot, toiling on behind with milk and sugar.
“Some—somebody’s taken our dolls’ luncheon. Oh, dear me!”
“It can’t be!” cried Dot, springing forward and spilling the milk. “Why! those walnut-creams! Oh, dear!”
“They haven’t left a crumb,” wailed Tess. “Isn’t that just mean?”
“Who’d ever do such a thing to us?” said Dot, her lip trembling. “It is mean.”
“Why! it must be somebody in the house,” declared Tess, her wits beginning to work.
“Of course it wasn’t Mrs. McCall. She’s in the kitchen,” Dot declared.