"MR. GREEN:

"We wish to goodness you'd keep your goods in better order. In front of your store, on sidewalk and gutter, are old fruits, potatoes, and sundry other things too old to be quite nice. So spruce things up, and you will be surprised at the result.

"Yours in good fellowship, "THE VILLAGE IMP. SOCIETY."

"That's a good business one," said d.i.c.k. "Sort of 'man to man,' you know."

"I don't like it as well as some of the others," said Marjorie. "You copy that, d.i.c.k, and I'll copy the 'lovingly' one."

Each took a model, and all set to work, except Kitty and Dorothy, who were exempt, as their penmanship was not very legible.

"I'm tired," announced d.i.c.k, after an hour's work. "Let's stop where we are."

"All right," said King. "We've enough for the first week, I think. If these work pretty good, we'll do more next Sat.u.r.day."

They had sixteen letters altogether, addressed to the best and worst citizens of Rockwell, and in high glee they started to the post-office to buy their stamps.

Mrs. Maynard willingly gave permission for them to go the short distance to the post-office, and watched the six well-behaved children as they walked off, two by two.

After the stamps were bought, and the letters posted, they found they still had enough in the treasury for soda water all round, lacking two cents. King generously supplied the deficit, and the six trooped into the drug store, and each selected a favorite flavor.

The club meeting broke up after that, and the children went to their homes, feeling that they had greatly gained in importance since morning.

And indeed they had.

That same evening many of the Rockwell people strolled down to the post-office for their mail.

In the small town there were no carriers, and the short trip to the post-office was deemed a pleasure by most.

When Mr. Maynard arrived he was surprised to find men gathered into small groups, talking in loud and almost angry voices.

The pretty little stone building was not large enough to hold them all, and knots of people were on the steps and on the small gra.s.s plot in front.

"It's outrageous!" one man was saying. "I never heard of such impudence in a civilized town!"

"Here comes Mr. Maynard now," said another, "let's ask him."

Mr. Maynard smiled pleasantly as the belligerent ones approached him.

They were men whom he knew by name, but they were not of his own social circle.

"Look here," said John Kellogg, "I've just got this 'ere note, and some kid yonder says it's the handwritin' of your son, and I want ter know ef that's so!"

"It certainly looks like my son's writing," said Mr. Maynard, still smiling pleasantly, though his heart sank as he wondered what those children had been up to now.

CHAPTER XV

DISTURBED CITIZENS

"And I've got one that my boy says is in d.i.c.k Fulton's writin'!"

declared another angry citizen.

"Here comes d.i.c.k's father now," said Mr. Maynard, as he advanced a step to meet Mr. Fulton. "They tell me our sons have been writing miscellaneous letters," he said to Mr. Fulton, and, though there was a twinkle in his eye, Mr. Fulton saw at once that there was some serious matter in hand.

"Not only your sons, but your girls, too," growled another man. "My kid says this is your Marjorie's fist."

"Well, well, what are the letters all about?" asked Mr. Fulton, who did not like the att.i.tude of the complainants.

"Read 'em, and see!" was the quick response, and half a dozen letters were thrust toward the two gentlemen.

Mr. Fulton adjusted his gla.s.ses, and both he and Mr. Maynard quickly scanned the notes that were only too surely the work of their own children.

"The signature is misleading," said Mr. Fulton, who was inwardly shaking with laughter at the absurd epistles, but who preserved a serious countenance; "but I feel sure it means 'The Village Improvement Society.' I have often thought such a society would be a good thing for our town, but I didn't know one had been started."

"But who _is_ the society? A lot of youngsters?" demanded John Kellogg.

"Ahem! These doc.u.ments would lead one to think so, wouldn't they?" said Mr. Fulton, suavely.

But the offended men were not to be so easily placated.

"See here," said one of them, a.s.suming a threatening tone, "these 'ere letters is insults; that's what I call 'em!"

"And I!" "Me, too!" said several others.

"And as they is insults," went on the first speaker, "we wants satisfaction; that's what we wants!"

"Yes, yes!" "We do!" chorused the crowd.

Mr. Fulton and Mr. Maynard were decidedly nonplussed. It was difficult to take the matter seriously, and yet, as these men were so incensed, it might make an unpleasant publicity for the two families, unless they placated the angry recipients of those foolish letters.

Mr. Maynard was a quick thinker, and a man of more even disposition and affable demeanor than Mr. Fulton. So Mr. Maynard, with a nod at his friend, jumped up on a chair and began to address the crowd, as if he were on a public platform.

"My friends and fellow-townsmen," he said: "in the first place, Mr.

Fulton and I want to admit that these letters which you have received are without doubt the work of our own children. They were written entirely without our knowledge or consent, and they represent a childish endeavor to do well, but they do not show experience, or familiarity with grown people's ways of dealing with these matters. We, therefore, apologize to you for the offence our children have caused you, and trust that, as most of you have children of your own, you will appreciate the facts of the case, and forgive the well-meaning, but ill-doing, little scamps."

Mr. Maynard's pleasant voice and genial smile went far to establish good-feeling, and many voices murmured, "Aw, that's all right," or, "Little scalawags, ain't they?"

"And now," Mr. Maynard went on, "since we are gathered here, I would like to make a suggestion that may lead to a good work. Several of our prominent business men have thought that a Village Improvement Society could do a great and good work in our town. I, myself, have not sufficient leisure to take this matter in charge, but I wish that a committee of our citizens might be appointed to consider ways and means, with a view to organizing a society in the near future. Should this be done, I stand ready to contribute one thousand dollars to the general fund of the society, and I've no doubt more will be subscribed by willing hearts."

Mr. Maynard stepped down from the chair, and Mr. Fulton immediately mounted it.

"I, too, will gladly subscribe the same amount as Mr. Maynard," he said; "this project has for some time been in my mind, and I am pretty sure that it was because of overhearing some of my conversations on the subject that my young people took it up, and earnestly, if in a mistaken manner, endeavored to start such a society."

The sentiment of the meeting had entirely changed. The men who had been most angry at their letters were now enthusiastic in their desire for the immediate formation of the society.

"Land sakes!" said old Mr. Bolton, "them children didn't mean nothin'