“’Tis the griddle-cake doth make children of us all,” parodied Graham recklessly, not at all abashed by his friend’s criticism. “Come on, Jack. I’m going to set the table, and I shall need your housewifely aid.”
When the girls came flocking down, the table was set, although not altogether in the conventional fashion, and from the kitchen issued the odor of frying pan-cakes, agreeable or otherwise, according to one’s mood. Graham sniffed it as ecstatically as if it had been the fragrance of a rose-garden. Ruth hastily found her way to the open door, and tried to think of something beside food.
“Ruth!” It was Peggy’s voice sounding from the kitchen. Ruth looked resolutely ahead, and did not move. There was Amy and Priscilla and Claire to choose from. If she didn’t answer, Peggy would of course summon another assistant.
“Ruth!”
“Don’t you hear Peggy calling you, Ruth?” Graham asked peremptorily. And again Ruth’s mood was resentful. How unkind and unfeeling everybody seemed. The tears started to her eyes as she crossed the room. In the kitchen Peggy was turning cakes on the smoking griddle, her cheeks glowing from her exertion over the blazing fire.
“Here, Ruth. Watch these cakes, will you, while I see to the hash? I wonder if those boys have got enough dishes on the table to eat out of. And push back the coffee pot please. The coffee’s done, anyway.”
“Is breakfast nearly ready?” Graham put his head through the door. “I told you I was starving you remember, three-quarters of an hour back. Now the pangs of hunger are less cruel, but I’m gradually growing weaker.”
“You’re a pathetic figure for a famine sufferer,” scoffed Peggy. “Oh, Ruth, that cake is burning.”
“Upon my word, Ruth,” exclaimed Graham, with mock severity, “that’s inexcusable. Burning up a perfectly good pan-cake when your brother is suffering from hunger.” It was of course, in keeping with the nonsense he had been talking all the morning, but to poor Ruth it seemed as if he were really finding fault.
“I’m doing the best I can,” she replied rather sharply, and Peggy noticed the suppressed irritation of her tone and wondered. Then, as Graham advanced into the kitchen with the intention of helping to carry in the breakfast, Ruth backed into a corner and screamed.