But I can't
think how I can mind twice at one time."
"I don't suppose you can," said Kat. "But anyway, I'm sorry about
my dress."
Just then Vrouw Vedder called them to come and eat their
breakfast.
Father and Mother Vedder sat down at the little round table and
bowed their heads. Kit and Kat stood up. Father Vedder said
grace; and then they ate their salt herring and drank their
coffee; and Kit and Kat had coffee too, because it was St.
Nicholas morning.
It was snowing when, after breakfast, Kit went out with his
father to feed the chickens and the pigs, and to see that the cow
had something very good that she liked to eat. When they had done
that, they called Kat; and she helped throw out some grain on the
white snow, so the birds could have a feast, too.
It snowed all day. Kit and Kat both helped their mother get the
dinner. They got the cabbage and the onions and the potatoes
ready; and when the goose was hung upon the fire to roast, they
watched it and kept it spinning around on the spit, so it would
brown evenly.
By and by the kitchen was all in order, and you can't think how
clean and homelike it looked! The brasses all around the room had
little flames dancing in them, because they were so bright and
shiny. Everything was ready for the St. Nicholas feast. The goose
was nearly roasted, and there was such a good smell of it in the
air!
After a while there was a great stamping of feet at the door; and
Vrouw Vedder ran with the broom to brush the snow off Grandfather
and Grandmother, who had skated all the way from town, on the
canal.
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