"Pertatoes," she fortunately shrieked.

"All right," said Pip, and she was spared a second shot.

"I'm thankful to get through safe, and now I have not to pay, after all
that risk?"

"Certainly, madam," politely replied Charlie, the treasurer, who now met
her. "I'll take your ticket and punch it."

Having punched her ticket, he retired. Aunt Stanshy looked about the
chamber. She noticed that an old thin sheet served for curtain, as before,
and another was strung across a corner and separated it from the rest of
the chamber. This second curtain not being long enough to reach the
desired distance, was pieced out by a strip of wire netting in one corner.
Looking over this corner curtain, Aunt Stanshy saw eight pieces of
carpeting on the floor, each member of the club having furnished a piece.
Inside this sanctuary were a barrel and a saw-horse.

"What is this for?" asked Aunt Stanshy.

"O for meetings," said Charlie. "Only the four principals can go in
there."

"Who are they?"

"The president, the governor, the first treasury, and the keeper of the
great seal. We stand on the barrel and saw-horse, and make laws to the
other members of the club, who stand outside."