noon
The two Miss Dills had always said that the girls could get along just as well on far less to eat . In fact , Miss Ada was positive they could study better if `` they did n't cram themselves so full of food . '' And now they set to work to prove their theory . The meals became skimpier and skimpier , until one day after the noon meal the girls left the table feeling positively hungry . The afternoon seemed unbearably long , and for the life of them they could not keep their minds on their books . All they could think of was delicious juicy steaks , French-fried potatoes , chicken pie and strawberry short cake . And when girl after girl failed in her recitations , Miss Cora and Miss Ada scolded them so harshly and said such sarcastic things that it brought the angry red to their faces .