"Doesn't it!" said Bettina, enthusiastically. "And see, I've set the dinner table here by the fireplace. It's such fun when just the two of us are here. Isn't the log burning well?"

"I wondered if we could use one of our new logs tonight—thought about it all the way home. And here you had already tried it! November has turned so much colder that I believe winter is coming."

"So do I, but I don't mind, I don't want a warm Thanksgiving."

"Dinner ready? M—m, what's that? Lamb chops? Escalloped potatoes? Smells good!"

"Come on, dear! After dinner, we'll try those nuts we left so long out at Uncle John's. Do you think they're dry enough by this time? Charlotte phoned me that they had tried theirs, and found them fine. By the way, she and Frank may come over this evening."

"Hope they do. Listen—I hear a car outside now."

"Sure enough, that's Frank and Charlotte. Go to the door, Bob! We'll persuade them to eat dessert with us.... Hello, people! Come in; you're just in time to have some tea and a ginger drop-cake apiece."

"That's what we came for, Bettina!" shouted Frank, laughing. "And then you must come out in the car with us. It's a beautiful, clear, cold night, and you'll enjoy it—if you take plenty of wraps!"

For dinner that night Bettina served:

Wipe the chops and place in a red-hot pan over the flame. When the under surface is seared, turn and sear the other side. Turn often for twelve minutes. When nearly cooked, sprinkle with salt and paprika.

Mix the potatoes, salt, flour, paprika and green pepper. Place in a buttered baking dish or casserole. Pour the milk over the mixture and dot with butter. Put a cover on the dish and allow to cook for half an hour. Remove the cover and allow to cook twenty minutes more. More milk may be added if the mixture is too dry.

Peel and slice the egg plant in slices one-half an inch thick. Sprinkle each slice with salt. Place the slices on top and allow to stand for two hours. This drains out the liquid. Wipe each piece with a cloth and dip in the beaten egg-yolk, to which the water has been added. Dip in the cracker crumbs. Place the lard in a frying-pan, and when very hot, add the slices of egg plant. Brown thoroughly on both sides, lower the fire and cook five minutes. Serve on a hot platter with the slices overlapping each other.

Put the molasses in a bowl, add the boiling water and the dry ingredients, sifted. Then add the raisins and the melted butter. Beat well for two minutes. Pour into buttered muffin pans, filling the pans one-half full. Bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven.