Frank kept saying I could n't guess , that you had come , and I never would be ready , till finally I got mad and fired an egg at him , and made no end of a mess . '' Jack and Jill went off into a gale of laughter at the idea of dignified Frank dodging the egg that smashed on the wall , leaving an indelible mark of Jack 's besetting sin , impatience . Just then Mrs. Minot came in , well pleased to hear such pleasant sounds , and to see two merry faces , where usually one listless one met her anxious eyes . `` The new medicine works well , neighbor , '' she said to Mrs. Pecq , who followed with the lunch tray . `` Indeed it does , mem . I feel as if I 'd taken a sup myself , I 'm that easy in my mind . '' And she looked so , too , for she seemed to have left all her cares in the little house when she locked the door behind her , and now stood smiling with a clean apron on , so fresh and cheerful , that Jill hardly knew her own mother . `` Things taste better when you have someone to eat with you , '' observed Jack , as they devoured sandwiches , and drank milk out of little mugs with rosebuds on them . `` Do n't eat too much , or you wo n't be ready for the next surprise , '' said his mother , when the plates were empty , and the last drop gone down throats dry with much chatter . `` More surprises ! Oh , what fun ! '' cried Jill . And all the rest of the morning , in the intervals of talk and play , they tried to guess what it could be . At two o'clock they found out , for dinner was served in the Bird Room , and the children revelled in the simple feast prepared for them . The two mothers kept the little bed-tables well supplied , and fed their nurslings like maternal birds , while Frank presided over the feast with great dignity , and ate a dinner which would have astonished Mamma , if she had not been too busy to observe how fast the mince pie vanished . `` The girls said Christmas was spoiled because of us ; but I do n't think so , and they wo n't either , when they see this splendid place and know all about our nice plans , '' said Jill , luxuriously eating the nut-meats Jack picked out for her , as they lay in Eastern style at the festive board . `` I call this broken bones made easy . I never had a better Christmas . Have a raisin ? Here 's a good fat one . ''
And XXXXX made a long arm to Jill 's mouth , which began to sing `` Little Jack Horner '' as an appropriate return .
Eastern Jack Jill Minot Pecq bed-tables left morning nurslings o'clock