“Behold!” said Elise again with a sweeping gesture toward the front door.
Mrs. Hargrave’s house-boy, grinning from ear to ear, was coming slowly up the steps bearing a large covered tray. Elise took it from him with the greatest care and set it carefully on a table.
“Approach!” she commanded, and Rosanna, really curious, drew near the mysterious article. Slowly Elise drew off the cover. Under it in all the glory of a golden brown crust, little crinkles all about the edge, sat a pie looking not only good enough to eat, but almost too good.
“Peench off a tiny, tiny bit of ze frill,” said Elise, pointing to the scallopy edge. “A very tiny peench, and you will see how good. Now I can be the Girl Scout because all the other things I can so well do.”
Rosanna took a careful pinch and found the crust light and very flaky and dry.
“Perfectly delicious, Elise!” she pronounced it. “Did you do it all yourself?”
“Of a certainty!” said Elise proudly. “I would not do the which otherwise than as it is so required by the Girl Scouts. And now I am most proud. If you will so kindly take me when you go to the meeting this afternoon, I will offer this to the most adorable little Captain as one more reason the why I should be allowed to join.”
“Of course I will take you,” said Rosanna. “I was just going to telephone for Helen. If she is ready we will start at once.”
“I will go for my hat,” said Elise. Then anxiously, “Will the beautiful pie rest here in safety?”
“Yes, indeed; it will be perfectly safe,” laughed Rosanna.