"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 cla.s.ses, 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 pa.s.sed 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 sh.e.l.l.

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.