Ed rose, and glancing about him with an appealing look, said, as if
sure his proposition would not be well received, "I wish to propose
the name of a new member. Bob Walker wants to join, and I think
we ought to let him. He is trying to behave well, and I am sure we
could help him. Can't we?"

All the boys looked sober, and Joe, otherwise Brickbat, said,
bluntly, "I won't. He's a bad lot, and we don't want any such here.
Let him go with chaps of his own sort."

"That is just what I want to keep him from! He's a good-hearted
boy enough, only no one looks after him; so he gets into scrapes,
as we should, if we were in his place, I dare say. He wants to
come here, and would be so proud if he was let in, I know he'd
behave. Come now, let's give him a chance," and Ed looked at Gus
and Frank, sure that if they stood by him he should carry his point.

But Gus shook his head, as if doubtful of the wisdom of the plan,
and Frank said gravely: "You know we made the rule that the
number should never be over eight, and we cannot break it."

"You needn't. I can't be here half the time, so I will resign and let
Bob have my place," began Ed, but he was silenced by shouts of
"No, no, you shan't!" "We won't let you off!" "Club would go to
smash, if you back out!"

"Let him have my place; I'm the youngest, and you won't miss me,"
cried Jack, bound to stand by Ed at all costs.

"We might do that," said Frank, who did object to small boys,