CHAPTER XIV
QUEEN HESTER
"Kit's my bestest birthday present," declared Marjorie, as they sattogether in the veranda swing the morning after the party.
Kitty pulled her sister's curls in absent-minded affection, andremarked, thoughtfully:
"Mopsy, I don't seem to care much for that red-headed Hester girl."
"She's a queer thing," Marjorie returned, "but I sort of like her, too.You see, Kit, she has a fearful temper, and she can't help beingspiteful."
"Oh, fiddlesticks, Mops! Anybody can help being spiteful if they wantto."
"No, she can't, Kit. She flies into a rage over nothing. And then she'ssorry afterward."
"Will she be at the Sand Court thing, or whatever you call it, to-day?"
"Yes, all the club will be there. Come on, let's go."
The sisters ran down to Sand Court and found King and the Craig boysalready there.
"Old Crosspatch hasn't come yet," observed Dick, after they had all said"Hello!"
"Dick," said Midget, "I wish you wouldn't call our Sand Witch suchunkind names."
"Well, she _is_ a crosspatch."
"Well, never mind if she is. Don't let's call names, anyway."
And then Hester arrived. It was easily seen she was prepared for a fray.She was not smiling, and she said "Hello" with a very sour expression offace. Then she turned to Midget.
"Did you make me a new crown?" she said. "Are you going to let me beQueen?"
"We have to vote about that," returned Marjorie, "and I do hope, mycourtiers, that we won't have any squabbling before our royal visitor,Miss Princess Sand,--Sand--well, San Diego is the only name I can thinkof for Kit!"
"Hail, Princess Sandeago!" cried Tom, and all the courtiers duckedalmost to the ground in low bows.
"Now," went on Marjorie, "our first business this morning is theelection of a new Queen."
"Queens aren't elected," growled Tom, "they,--they,--what _do_ they do?Oh, they succeed!"
"That's exactly what they do!" cried Midget. "And _I'm_ going tosucceed! I mean I'm going to succeed in my plan of having Hester succeedme! I asked Father about elections, and he said people could beinstructed to vote a certain way. So I hereby instruct you all, mybeloved courtiers, to vote for a new Queen. The same to be our belovedSand Witch."
"Beloved grandmother!" exclaimed Tom, irrepressibly.
"No, my Grand Sandjandrum," went on Midget, looking sternly at him, "sheisn't your grandmother, but she's to be your new sovereign, so you mayas well make up your mind to it."
As Hester began to think Midget was going to make the change, whetherthe boys wanted to or not, she suddenly became very light-hearted andsmiled at everybody.
"I'll be a good Queen," she said, ingratiatingly, "and I'll do whateveryou want me to."
And then King waked up to the fact that since Midget desired thischange, and since it might have the effect of keeping Hester pleasantand good-natured, perhaps it was a good plan after all. So he said:
"All right; I'll vote as Queen Sandy instructs."
Tom looked at him in surprise, and then, remembering he had practicallypromised to do as Marjorie asked, he said:
"Well, I will too. But only on condition that the new Queen promises tobe pleasant and nice all the time."
"I will," declared Hester, earnestly, her face fairly radiant now atthe thought of wearing the crown.
"You ought to take an oath of office and say so," advised Kitty, who wascritically watching the proceedings.
"What's that mean?" demanded Hester.
"Why, swear that you won't lose your temper."
"Oh, I wouldn't _swear_!" cried Hester, in dismay.
"Kit doesn't mean bad swearing," explained King. "She means officialswearing, or something like that. All Queens do it, and juries, andpresidents, and everything. It's only promising or vowing."
"Well, I'll promise or vow," agreed Hester, "but I won't swear."
"All right," said Marjorie. "You must hold up both hands, and say 'Ipromise or vow to be a good Queen and not get mad at my courtiers.' Sayit now."
So Hester raised both hands as high as she could and repeated Marjorie'swords.
"Now you've taken your oath of office, and you're queen," said Kitty,who was unconsciously taking charge of affairs. "Where's the crown,Mops?"
"The new Queen tore it up the other day," said Midget, demurely.
"Then she must make a new one," commanded Kitty. "Never mind; for to-daythis will do."
The Princess San Diego hastily twisted some vines into a wreath, andlaid it gently on the brilliant locks of the new Queen.
"I crown you Queen Sandy!" she said, dramatically.
"It's all right, Kit," said King, looking quizzical, "but just how doyou happen to be running this court?"
"Oh, I might as well," returned Kitty carelessly. "I don't think therest of you are very good at it."
"That's so," admitted Tom. "I guess we do squabble a lot."
"It isn't only that," said Kitty, "but you don't have much order andceremony."
"I've noticed that," put in Dick. "We just talk every-day sort of talk.I think we ought to be grander."
"So do I," agreed Kitty. "Here, Hester, give me that crown; I'll beQueen for to-day, and show you how."
There was nothing bumptious or even dictatorial in Kitty's manner; shemerely wanted to show them how a Queen ought to act. So she put the vinewreath on her own head, and breaking a branch from a tall shrub nearbyfor a sceptre, she seated herself on the dilapidated throne.
"I pray you sit," she said, condescendingly, to her court. "Ha! where ismy page?"
"There is no page, O Queen," said the Grand Sandjandrum, lookingmortified.
"Thus I create one!" announced Kitty, calmly. "Sand Crab, kneel beforeme!"
Harry sprang forward to obey, and kneeled at Kitty's feet.
"Thus I anoint thee page!" declared the Queen, dramatically tapping himthree times on his shoulder. "Rise, Sir Page, and attend upon me!"
"Yes, ma'am! What shall I do?" asked the new page, greatly flustered.
"Stand thou here at my right hand. It may be I might have an errand ortwo now and then."
"Aye, aye, O Queen!" declaimed Dick, who was catching the spirit ofKitty's rule.
"Well spoke, fair sir. Stand thou there, I prithee. And now, Courtiers,is there any business to be discussed?"
"Nay, O Queen," said Tom, "we but wait thy pleasure."
"Then my pleasure is now to install the new Queen. And, prithee, mycourtiers, when that the new Queen is enthroned, then does the recedingQueen become the Sand Witch?"
"Yea, O fair Queen," said Marjorie, coming up with mincing steps andbowing before Kitty. "From now on I am the Sand Witch of this court, andI humbly beg thy favor."
"Favor be thine!" announced the temporary Queen. "And now, O mycourtiers, lead to me Queen Hester Sandy, Queen of Sand Court!"
Reconciled at last to this state of things, King and Tom sprang toescort Hester. Dick and Harry marched gravely behind, while Midgetstalked along ahead, and thus quite an imposing procession approachedQueen Kitty and ranged themselves before her.
"O Queen," Kitty began, "you have already taken oath of office, O Queen!So now naught remains but to take the seat of royalty, the honoredthrone of Sand Court, O Queen!"
And then Hester scored her success. She stepped up on the sand moundthat was the throne, and bowed her head while Kitty transferred the vinewreath that represented the crown. Then Hester drew herself upmajestically, waved her sceptre, and declaimed:
"I, the Queen of Sand Court, accept this honor that is thus thrust uponme!"
There were some astonished faces among the courtiers at this speech,but nobody interrupted.
"I, Queen Sandy, promise to be a good Queen to my beloved courtiers, andnever to lose my temper or speak cross, but to emulate the sweet andsunlighty disposition of our departing and beloved Queen, who is now aSand Witch. Wherefore, my courtiers, I beseech your fealty and faith,an
d I present my compliments, and the compliments of this court to ourvisitor, the Princess San Diego. This lovely lady has been a great help,and we now salute her. I bid thee all salute!"
They all saluted by bowing low to Kitty; indeed, the page bowed so lowthat he tumbled over, but soon scrambled up again.
"And now," went on Queen Sandy, "I bid thee salute our Sand Witch. Sheis a witch of goodness and joy. We all love her, the court honors her,and one and all we now salute her!"
More low bows followed, and then the court resumed its upright attitudeand awaited orders.
"There is no more saluting necessary," explained the gracious Queen."You boy courtiers can't expect it. Now the court is dismissed and theSand Club will play something."
The Queen came down from the throne, and courtly manners and speecheswere laid aside.
"Let's fix up the court instead of playing," suggested Kitty, and asall thought this a good idea, they went at it.
Everybody worked with a will, for it was fun to get the court in orderagain, and Kitty and Midget were so fond of fixing up and decoratingthat when the task was over, Sand Court was far handsomer than everbefore.
Shell borders outlined the throne and the courtier's seat, and the oldlegless chair was so draped with cheesecloth and green vines that it wasa picture in itself. Then it was luncheon time, and the courtiers saidgood-bye and parted to go to their homes.
"She's a funny girl," said Kitty, as the Maynard trio reached theirhouse. "As soon as she got what she wanted, she was sweet as pie. But ifyou hadn't given up the Queen to her, Mops, she would have been madder'nhops."
"I know it," said Midget, "but that wasn't the reason I did it. I did it'cause I thought it was fairer for her to have a turn at being Queen."
"And it was," said Kitty, judicially. "I think you did right, Mopsy;but, all the same, she'll never keep that promise to be sweet andpleasant."
"Oh, Kitty, she'll have to! Why, she vowed it!"
"Oh, pshaw, she'll get mad and forget all about that vow. Say, Mops,what do you think? I've learned to make cake."
"You have! Who taught you?"
"Eliza did, up at Grandma's. It was fine. I'll teach you, if you like."
"Do!" urged King. "Then Midge can make little cakes for the Sand Club.Ellen makes 'em sometimes, but she says it's a bother."
Permission being granted by Mrs. Maynard, the girls tried cake-makingthat very afternoon.
"I'll help yez, shall I?" asked Ellen, as the two energetic damselsraided her pantry.
"No, Ellen," said Marjorie. "Miss Kitty is going to teach me. Yougo,--go--why, Ellen, you take an afternoon out!"
"It isn't me day out, Miss Midget, but I'll go to me room, an' if yezwants me, yez can send Sarah afther me, sure."
"Can I help?" asked King, who wanted to be in the fun.
"Yes, you can stone raisins," said Kitty, kindly.
At home in Rockwell, Marjorie had always been chief directress in alltheir doings, but down here Kitty was more like a visitor, and theothers politely deferred to her. So King went contentedly to work,stoning raisins, and the girls made the cake.
"I didn't bring my recipe book," said Kitty, "but I guess I remember howto make it. You see, Eliza is going to teach me to make lots of things,so I've quite a big book for recipes."
"How many have you so far?" asked Midget, greatly interested.
"Well, only this one; but it's sponge cake, you know. I shall have morelater."
"Yes, of course," said Midget, politely, and suddenly feeling that heryounger sister was getting very grown-up, with her recipe book and hersponge cake.
"Now," proceeded Kitty, "if I'm to show you, Midget, you must pay closeattention."
"I will,--oh, I will!"
"First, you break the eggs, and separate them, white from yolk, likethis,--see!"
But whether she was rattled at having such an interested audience, orwhether she was not very expert as yet, Kitty couldn't make the eggs"separate" neatly. Every one she broke persisted in spilling out itsyellow and white together.
"Let me try," said Marjorie, but her efforts were not much moresuccessful. Bits of shell would fall in the bowl, and even if she gotmost of the white in safely, some yellow would spill in, too.
"Does it matter much?" asked King.
"Oh, I don't believe so," said Kitty. "I guess we'll beat the eggs allup together, white and yellow both."
Kitty put in the Dover eggbeater with an air of experience, and whiskedits wheel "round and round."
"Let me in, too," said Midget. "There's another beater I found in thecupboard."
There was room in the big bowl for both beaters, and the two girlswhizzed the wheels around like mad.
"Hold on!" cried King. "You're flirting that yellow stuff all over!"
"Well, anyway, it's well beaten," declared Kitty, looking at the frothyyellow mass with satisfaction. "Now we put in the flour,--no, the sugar,I think."
"Butter?" suggested Marjorie.
"No, there's no butter in it. This is _sponge_ cake."
Properly subdued, Marjorie awaited orders.
"Sugar," Kitty decided at last; "and bring a cup."
Midget brought the cup, and Kitty measured the sugar, and dumped it intothe bowl of egg.
"I can't think whether it's three or four cups full," she said, holdinga cup full uncertainly over the bowl.
"Dump it in!" advised King. "I like 'em pretty sweet."
So in went the sugar, and Midget was allowed to stir, while Kittymeasured flour.
"We have to sift this four times," she announced, with an air of greatwisdom. "I'll do this part."
She did, but she was so energetic about it, and the flour sieve souncertain on its three iron legs, that much of the flour flew over thetable, the floor, and the clothing of the workers.
"Hold up, Kit!" cried Marjorie, as a cloud of flour almost blinded her."I can't see to beat, if you fly that flour around so!"
"Well, it has to be sifted four times," apologized Kitty, and turned itinto the sieve again.
Much was lost in transit, and King declared it was already sifted asfine as it would ever be, but Kitty was unmoved by comment or criticism.
"Now it's all right," she said, peering into the pan of finally preparedflour, and ignoring the white dust that was all over everything. "Butfirst a cup of hot water must go in."
"I'll pour it," said King, rising quickly, and taking the tea-kettlefrom Kitty, who was in imminent danger of scalding herself.
"Just a cup full!" said Kitty, warningly, as the hot water ran over thebrimming cup and fell to the floor.
"Never mind," said King, "we'll only use what's in the cup," andcarrying it as carefully as possible he poured it into the bowl ofbatter that Marjorie was faithfully beating.
"Oh, not all at once!" cried Kitty. "It should have been put in littleby little."
"Can't help it now," said Midget, cheerfully. "I guess it won't matter.Now in with the flour, Kit; and you must have baking powder."
"I don't think Eliza put in any baking powder," said Kitty, dubiously.
"Oh, she _must_ have!" said Midget. "That's what baking powder isfor,--to bake with. It's on that shelf, Kitty."
Kitty was uncertain about the baking powder, so took Marjorie's advice.
"But I don't know how much," she said, as she opened the tin box.
"About a tablespoonful to a cup of flour," said Marjorie. "I think Iheard Mother say that once." She was not at all sure, but she greatlywanted to help Kitty if possible.
"All right," said Kitty, and having already put in three cups of flour,she added to the mixture three heaping tablespoonfuls of baking powder.
"Now for the raisins," she said.
"I didn't know sponge cake ever had raisins in it," said Marjorie.
"It doesn't, usually," said Kitty, "but I thought it would add an extratouch."
She stirred them in, and then they poured the batter into a cake tin.
"It does look lovely," said Midget, tasti
ng it with a spoon. "It tastespretty good, but not as good as it looks. I guess it'll be lovely whenit's baked. Open the oven, King."
King threw open the oven door with a flourish, and the girls pushed thebig pan inside.
"Shut it quick!" warned Kitty. "The cake falls unless you do! It mustbake three-quarters of an hour."
And then they all waited patiently for the time to take it out.