"You know it for a fact, my lady? I hope it won't come here (or the doctors either). Is it catching, Dr. Moonshine?"
"Well, yes, Mother Hubbard; it's apt to catch fine ladies. Goes hard with 'em, too."
"Ah me, then I'll never dare go out," drawled Lady Magnifico, looking at her rings.
Here Mother Hubbard timidly passed the cake. "White Mountain; but I suspect it's a poor rule."
"A poor rule that don't work both ways, hey? If this was ever white, ma'am, 'twasn't a fast color; faded to a rusty black. And as to it's being a mountain, ma'am, it looks to me like a pretty hollow valley."
"I'm so sorry, doctor! But your little girl dusted my soda over the cat, and that was why the cake didn't rise."
"Just so, ma'am; but did the cat rise?"
"O, Dr. Moonshine, I see you're making fun of my cooking. And now I'll tell you something more. I got the butter ready, and forgot to put it in, and that's why the cake's so tough."
"Never mind," said the doctor, very amiable as long as he could make his joke. "It is pretty tough cake, ma'am; but it's always tougher where there's none."
"There's one thing about it," said Mother Hubbard, a little relieved; "it's sweet in the middle, and you needn't eat the bitter part, where it's burnt."