I would have called the next morning a typical morning, had I never had a run-in with McCain. But the next morning was far from typical, and also turned out to be the most fun I'd had in a very long time.

Skweeker and I were down in the kitchen. We had already eaten breakfast, and were preparing to serve the girls theirs. Both of us had our big pots of porridge and dipping spoons in hand, and stood near the door so that we could hear when Miss Heminway called us. When she finally did, the two of us quietly entered the large dining hall, dressed in our black dresses and looking very much the part of servant girls.

Patiently, we waited as Miss Hemingway said Grace, and then began making our rounds, Skweeker taking the right side of the large table, and I the left. Miss Hemingway sat silently and stiff as a board at the head of the table.

Suddenly, there was a large crash from the kitchen. "Goodness me!" Miss Hemingway exclaimed, throwing aside her napkin and rushing into the kitchen.

Skweeker grinned mischeviously at me, seeing the perfect opportunity to get the girls into more trouble. I had already heard about the smoking incident, and knew that McCain was having the time of her life getting to the girls.

"'Ey, you in th' blue dress!" Skweeker called, then paused. "Wait, yer all in blue dresses. Fergit it."

I laughed quietly as we continued serving the porridge. "Hey, specs!"

A girl wearing spectacles, Abby, looked up at Skweeker. Grinning evilly, Skweeker called, "Catch!", and, dipping a big spoonful, proceeded to fling the steaming glob of porridge at Abby. Unfortunately for Abby, she didn't get her bowl up in time to catch it, and it splattered all over her clean, crisp school dress.

Miss Hemingway came back through the door at that moment. "My gracious, Abigail, what have you done to your uniform?"

Abby just sat there, holding her bowl, and looking very much like she'd spilt it on herself. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. Skweeker answered quietly, "She spilled it on herself, Miss Hemingway," perfectly playing the role of a humble little servant girl.

"I never!" Abby wailed, but Miss Hemingway believed Skweeker's very convincing story.

"Oh, Abigail, go and change. I'll come up with you to collect the dress for immediate washing. Mary, you will clean Abby's dress," Miss Hemingway said.

Skweeker looked around for a moment. She mouthed to me, "Who's Mary?"

Pointing to her, I mouthed, "You."

"Oh, yeah," she muttered aloud.

"What was that?" Miss Hemingway asked.

"Oh, I said, 'yes, ma'am'."

Nodding to herself, Miss Hemingway accompanied the tearful Abby upstairs. We finished serving the porridge and moved on to the biscuits. "I could have some fun wid these," Skweeker said to me, grinning evilly. "Wanna join me?"

I laughed and said, "Come on, McCain." We left the kitchen and re-entered the dining hall.

"'Ey, I wonder if these'll glide," Skweeker mused, picking up a biscuit from her basket and eyeing it intently. "Let's find out!"

She hurled the biscuit through the air toward a snooty girl named Catherine. She squealed and ducked under the table. The biscuit hit her chair and fell to the floor. Skweeker shook her head. "Nah, they don't glide. 'Ey, McCartney, let's toss these suckers out ta ev'rybody. Makes woik faster."

The two of us began picking up biscuits, calling, "Catch!", and tossing them out to the girls. Some caught theirs, but some missed and as a result got no biscuits with their porridge. Several of the girls seemed to be enjoying themselves, but a few weren't amused at all. Of course, ther attitudes all changed when Miss Hemingway burst through the door.

"What is all th - "

"They've been throwing biscuits, Miss Hemingway," several of the girls called.

She looked to Skweeker and I, eyes wide. "Why, Maggie McCartney and Mary McCain! I have never in my life seen antics such as these!"

Neither of us kept a straight face, which angered Miss Hemingway even more. "Both of you are a disgrace! You will scrub all the floors and clean every room in this school building before the day is over or neither of you will be allowed to stay!"

She shoved us out of the dining hall and slammed the doors behind us. Skweeker and I looked at each other and began laughing hysterically. "Th' looks on them girls' faces were priceless!" she exclaimed, which caused me to laugh even harder.

"I've never done anything like that, but it feels good!" I laughed. We sat down on the bottom step of the staircase to compose ourselves. It took several minutes, but finally, we stood and went to begin our assigned chores.