Eph helped , and by noon all was ready for cooking , and the cranberry-sauce , a good deal scorched , was cooling in the lean-to . Luncheon was a lively meal , and doughnuts and cheese vanished in such quantities that Tilly feared no one would have an appetite for her sumptuous dinner . The boys assured her they would be starving by five o'clock , and Sol mourned bitterly over the little pig that was not to be served up . `` Now you all go and coast , while Prue and I set the table and get out the best chiny , '' said Tilly , bent on having her dinner look well , no matter what its other failings might be . Out came the rough sleds , on went the round hoods , old hats , red cloaks , and moccasins , and away trudged the four younger Bassetts , to disport themselves in the snow , and try the ice down by the old mill , where the great wheel turned and splashed so merrily in the summer-time . Eph took his fiddle and scraped away to his heart 's content in the parlor , while the girls , after a short rest , set the table and made all ready to dish up the dinner when that exciting moment came . It was not at all the sort of table we see now , but would look very plain and countrified to us , with its green-handled knives and two-pronged steel forks ; its red-and-white china , and pewter platters , scoured till they shone , with mugs and spoons to match , and a brown jug for the cider . The cloth was coarse , but white as snow , and the little maids had seen the blue-eyed flax grow , out of which their mother wove the linen they had watched and watered while it bleached in the green meadow . They had no napkins and little silver ; but the best tankard and Ma 's few wedding spoons were set forth in state . Nuts and apples at the corners gave an air , and the place of honor was left in the middle for the oranges yet to come . `` Do n't it look beautiful ? '' said Prue , when they paused to admire the general effect . `` Pretty nice , I think . I wish Ma could see how well we can do it , '' began Tilly , when a loud howling startled both girls , and sent them flying to the window . The short afternoon had passed so quickly that twilight had come before they knew it , and now , as they looked out through the gathering dusk , they saw four small black figures tearing up the road , to come bursting in , all screaming at once : `` The bear , the bear ! Eph , get the gun ! He 's coming , he 's coming ! '' Eph had dropped his fiddle , and got down his gun before the girls could calm the children enough to tell their story , which they did in a somewhat incoherent manner . `` Down in the holler , coastin ' , we heard a growl , '' began Sol , with his eyes as big as saucers . `` I see him fust lookin ' over the wall , '' roared Seth , eager to get his share of honor .
`` Awful big and shaggy , '' quavered Roxy , clinging to XXXXX , while Rhody hid in Prue 's skirts , and piped out : `` His great paws kept clawing at us , and I was so scared my legs would hardly go . ''
Ma Sol Tilly cloaks coastin doughnuts noon o'clock sleds spoons