A RIVAL CLUB.
It was the next Saturday afternoon, and Carl, Aleck, and Ikey sat in
the star chamber busily discussing something.
"There they go!" Ikey exclaimed; and the others, looking over his
shoulder, saw the M.Ks. filing up the Brown house walk.
"They think they are so clever," growled Aleck. Carl raised the window
and called; "Never you mind, we'll get even!"
"We don't care," answered Elsie.
"You are welcome to," cried Dora gayly, waving her work-bag.
"You'd better not lean out so far," cautioned Bess, and then the door
closed behind them.
As the girls had hoped, the boys were wildly curious about the
mysterious letters "M.K." They made a great many absurd guesses, and
Carl finally nicknamed it the "Club of Many Kinks," which he thought
sounded like girls. But they only laughed, and wouldn't tell.
He tried to bribe Louise, or to extract it unawares from Bess. Aleck
went to the length of offering Elsie a box of candy if she would give
him so much as a hint, and they united their efforts upon Aunt Zelie,
all to no purpose. Now they had come to the conclusion that the only
thing to do was to start an opposition club, and in their turn arouse
the curiosity of the girls.
Mrs. Howard sat in her own little study, a room over the front door,
where she kept her special treasures, and was most likely to be found
when she was at home. She was busily sorting letters and bills when
Carl's face appeared at the half-open door.
"May we come in?" he asked.
"Who are 'we'?"
"Oh, only Aleck and Ikey," and he ushered in his companions without
further ceremony.
"If you don't object to my going on with my work, I shall be glad to
have you," she said.
"Can't we help you?" asked Aleck politely, dropping down among the
cushions on the couch.
"No, I thank you, and please have some mercy on my new pillow."
Ikey, who admired pretty things, rescued the dainty white and yellow
pillow, and modestly helped himself to a footstool.
"Take the floor, Carl, it is the only safe place," murmured lazy
Aleck.
"Somebody take it, please, and tell me the object of this call."
"We want to get even with the girls," began Carl, as his aunt leaned
back in her chair, all attention.
"They think themselves so clever with their old club," said Aleck, his
nose in the air.
"They are clever--quite as much so as boys." Aunt Zelie returned to
her bills, and there was silence for a moment; then Ikey spoke:
"We thought it would be fun to have a club too, and not tell the girls
the name. There isn't any harm in that, is there?" meekly.
"None whatever. What I do not like is that tone of lofty superiority.
You do not realize how it sounds, and as I consider myself one of the
girls I shall take such remarks as personal. Now tell me about the
club; is it to be simply for fun?"
"We'd like a little fun, please," said Aleck.
"Aunt Zelie, we really don't know what we want, but we thought you
could suggest something. You can think of scrumptious things when you
try, and we can get ahead of the girls easily if we have you. So
please, there's a dear," and Carl emphasized his request with a
bear-like hug from behind.
There was no holding out against their entreaties, so she agreed to
think it over.
"You may each invite one friend to a meeting in the star chamber next
Friday evening, and in the meantime I'll do my best to think of
something for you," she said, and very well satisfied the boys
departed, to lie in wait for the M.Ks.
When they came to think of it, it was not easy to decide which of
their friends to ask. Ikey finally settled upon his next best chum,
Fred Ames. "Don't you think he will do?" he asked Carl as they walked
home from school.
"Yes, of course; he is a very nice boy. I think I'll ask Jim Carter."
Ikey looked astonished. "Do you think he is the sort of a fellow your
aunt will like?"
"I don't care; I like him and I am going to ask him," Carl replied
positively. He thought best, however, to make some explanation.
"You see, Aunt Zelie," he said, finding her alone that evening, "Jim
is a funny kind of a boy. Ikey doesn't like him, but I think there is
a lot that is good in him. He is bright, I can tell you, and there is
nothing really mean about him, but his father gives him too much
money. I suppose that isn't ever good for a boy."
"I hardly think it is," she said, smiling at Carl's judicial manner.
"When he first came to school he thought he could get around anybody
with his money, but he soon found the boys did not like it,--but
perhaps I'd better not ask him."
"Ask him by all means if you think he would like to come. I am willing
to trust your judgment."
There were many points of resemblance between Jim Carter and Carl.
Both stood well in their classes, were independent and popular with
their schoolmates, but their home surroundings were very different.
Mr. Carter was deeply engrossed in making money, having become
suddenly rich through a lucky speculation. Ambitious for his only son,
he wished him to have all the advantages of education which he himself
had missed. So Jim was sent to a good school, but was taught at home
by precept and example that to get money was the chief thing.
Mrs. Carter was a good-natured, loud-voiced woman, who idolized her
son, and could not deny him anything. It was the want of refinement,
which Carl felt but could not express, and the utter lack of home
training, that were responsible for Jim's faults.
His good-nature and real generosity won him friends among those who
were at first disgusted by his boasting and display, and with a keen
instinct for popularity Jim quickly learned the lesson.
He admired Carl Hazeltine and was flattered by his invitation.
"We want to get up a club," Carl said. "My aunt is going to help us,
and we mean to have some fun; I'd like to have you, if you will come."
He accepted on the spot, though he wondered a little why an "aunt"
should have anything to do with it. His experience with such relatives
was limited to a middle-aged person who wore a shawl the year around,
and regarded boys as necessary evils, to be sent upon as many errands
as possible in the course of the day. Indeed, he would have considered
his mother, of whom he was very fond, decidedly out of place among
his friends.
He was the last to arrive on Friday evening, and he looked about him
with some curiosity as Carl led the way to the star chamber. As they
passed the library door he had a glimpse of a pleasant family group;
Mr. Hazeltine with his paper, Bess and Louise studying their geography
lesson, and Helen playing with Mr. Smith. An airy vision awaited them
at the top of the first flight of steps; Carie in her nightgown,
holding out her arms and calling, "I want to tiss you dood-night,"
while Sukey came running after.
"You naughty fairy," said her big brother, catching her and handing
her over to mammy after the kiss was bestowed.
"What a pretty little thing!" Jim remarked admiringly.
"She is the sweetest baby in the town," Carl responded loyally.
In the star chamber they found the other boys. Ikey and his friend
Fred Ames, Aleck and his special chum Will Archer, who was as quiet
and steady-going as Aleck was mischievous and happy-go-lucky.
Jim was warmly welcomed, and Ikey gave him an ear of popcorn to shell.
The rest were already at work seated on the rug before the fire. The
old sofa was drawn up sociably, and a chair of state had been provided
for Mrs. Howard.
When the door opened a few minutes later, they were all talking and
laughing at once in a decidedly uproarious fashion.
"Here is Cousin Zelie!" cried Aleck, and there came a sudden lull as
they scrambled to their feet. Jim was the only one she did not know,
and for some reason the sight of this slender young woman in black,
with a white rose in her dress, caused him a fit of unusual shyness.
Ikey himself could not have been more abashed than he was when Carl
introduced him.
"As the fire is in such fine condition, perhaps the popping had best
go on while we talk," Aunt Zelie said, taking the chair; "then when
business is over the refreshments will be ready."
Fred and Ikey were appointed a committee to attend to the corn, and
when all were comfortably settled, she began:
"As you know, the object of this meeting is to hear suggestions for a
club. I have been thinking about it for a week, and this is the best
plan that has occurred to me: it is to have a Good Neighbors Club. The
text Uncle William gave you children, Carl, suggested it to me. 'They
helped every one his neighbor.' It would mean keeping our eyes open
for ways of helping, and being careful to respect the property of
others.
"You see I take it for granted that you want something besides fun,
though I am sure we shall have a good time too."
"I don't think I understand what we are to do," said Will.
"You are not to break your neighbors' windows, for instance," replied
Aleck, winking at Carl.
"There is no trouble about the helping," answered Mrs. Howard; "there
are always opportunities for that, and on the other hand I am inclined
to think that you all at times do things that, to say the least, do
not improve the appearance of your neighborhood. For example--but I
believe I'll let you find out for yourselves. Suppose for a week you
try to discover what it means to be a good neighbor, and report next
Friday. The rest of my plan is very simple. To hold meetings every
week or once in two weeks, as you choose, and I have some fascinating
work which I know you can learn to do, and surprise the girls. I shall
have it ready for the next meeting, and while you work we can have
reading, or you can select a subject to discuss. Now the meeting is
open; please talk and ask questions."
Just here Ikey created a diversion by letting the pop-corn burn,
whereupon Mrs. Howard took it from him, and, kneeling on the rug,
popped the rest herself. Carl brought in a basket of apples, and
drawing up in a sociable circle they soon became merry and very much
at ease.
Aunt Zelie liked boys, and had a way of establishing friendly
relations with them on short acquaintance. And this evening she made
a special effort, for she wanted to know Carl's friends and make the
new club a success. The boys were ready to adopt her plan without
waiting, but she insisted upon their taking a week to think about it.
Before they left she wrote out the text on a card for each of them,
that they might keep it in mind.
"Isn't she splendid?" said Ikey to Jim as the door closed behind them,
for ever since the day of his accident he had been her ardent
worshipper. Jim assented rather coolly. In fact, he was a little
dazed. He had had a good time, though now it was over he was inclined
to wonder why. As for being a good neighbor, he thought it sounded
silly; but before he went to bed he took out the card and read the
text: "They helped every one his neighbor."