"Here are some bears in a melon-patch. There's a picture of Westminster
Abbey, and here's a boy lifting a girl over a fence, and here's a flag
from Europe, and here's one from some part of Asia or some other place."

In the midst of Charlie's glib description there was a crash. The plank,
_alias_ the reserved seats, did not have a firm support. Its weakness had
been noticed, but not remedied.

"Who's the one to fix the bench?" inquired Sid.

"The governor," replied Wort.

But the governor was not one who believed in Aunt Stanshy's motto, "Do
to-day's things to-day." She was trying to impress it on Charlie, but she
could not be expected to stamp every mind in the club with the necessity
of the injunction.

"One boy is enough for me," she would say.

The plank had remained firm as long as it could, but several wriggling
children were too much even for the patience of a plank, and--down it
went! Little May Waters dropped at the feet of Charlie as he was busily
"'splaining." He gallantly picked her up and tried to comfort her, and
various members of the club rushed to the rescue of other ladies. It was
concluded now to adjourn the "pammerrammer."

"Man down in the yard!" called out Wort, who was "sentinel" when he had
nothing else to do. Wort looked over the edge of the window-sill. About
all he could see was an old hat, and a very bad hat at that.