Then Jessie returned to the spices and fruits she had been working over so long, and a few minutes later she poured a rich, dark mass into a tin pudding-dish, tied the cover on tight, and slipped it into a large kettle of boiling water on the stove.
"There!" she said, "I hope that'll be good."
"I know it will," said Betty confidently. "That's y'r ma's best receipt."
"Yes, but I never made it before," said Jessie doubtfully.
"Oh, I know it'll be all right, 'n' I'll watch it close," said Betty; "'n' now you go'n sit with y'r ma. I want that table to git dinner."
"But I'm going to wash all these things," said Jessie.
"You go long! I'd ruther do that myself. 'Twon't take me no time," said Betty.
Jessie hesitated. "But you have enough to do, Betty."
"I tell you I want to do it," the girl insisted.
"Oh, I know!" said Jessie; "you like to help about it. Well, you may; and I'm much obliged to you, besides." And after a last look at the fine turkey cooling his heels (if he had any) in the pantry, Jessie went into the other part of the house.