Susy ran back to Prudy's sitting-room, where her little guests were seated, and said, trying not to laugh,-- "Please, ma'am, I just made some eel-jumbles and things, and a dog came in and stole them." "Very well, Betsey," said Mrs.Piper, serenely; "make some more." "Yes, make some more," echoed Mr.Piper; and added, "chain up that dog." "But real honest true," said Susy, "the fruit-cake _is_ all gone out of the chest.

You ate it up, you know, Annie; but it's no matter: we'll cut up some cookies, or, may be, mother'll let us have some oyster-crackers." "_I_ ate up the cake!" cried Annie; "It's no such a thing; I never touched it!" Her face flushed as she spoke.
"O, but you did," persisted Susy; "I suppose you've forgotten! You went to the cake-chest this morning, and last night, and yesterday noon, and ever so many more times." Annie was too angry to speak.
"But it's just as well," added Susy, politely; "you could have it as well as not, and perfectly welcome!" "What are you talking about ?" cried Annie, indignantly; for she thought she saw a look of surprise and contempt on Flossy's face, and fancied that Flossy despised her because she had a weakness for fruit-cake.
"I wonder if you take me for a pig, Susy Parlin! I heard what your mother said about that cake! She said it was too dry for her company, but it was too rich for little girls, and we must only eat a _teeny_ speck at a time.

I told my mamma, and she laughed, to think such mean dried-up cake was too rich for little girls!" Susy felt her temper rising, but her desire to be polite did not desert her.
"It _was_ rich, nice cake, Annie; but mother said the slices had been cut a great while, and it was drying up.

Let's not talk any more about it." "O, but I _shall_ talk more about it," cried Annie, still more irritated; "you keep hinting that I tell wrong stories and steal cake; yes, you do! and then you ain't willing to let me speak!" All this sounded like righteous indignation, but was only anger.

Annie was entirely in the wrong, and knew it; therefore she lost her temper.
Susy had an unusual amount of self-control at this time, merely because she had the truth on her side.