"We've just got to punish ourselves good and hard for this,"
whispered Jerry as they crept upstairs. "We'll have a session of
the Club first thing tomorrow and decide how we'll do it. I
never saw father so cut up. But I wish to goodness the
Methodists would stick to one night for their prayer meeting and
not wander all over the week."

"Anyhow, I'm glad it wasn't what I was afraid it was," murmured
Una to herself.

Behind them, in the study, Mr. Meredith had sat down at his desk
and buried his face in his arms.

"God help me!" he said. "I'm a poor sort of father. Oh,
Rosemary! If you had only cared!"



CHAPTER XXVIII. A FAST DAY

The Good-Conduct Club had a special session the next morning
before school. After various suggestions, it was decided that a
fast day would be an appropriate punishment.

"We won't eat a single thing for a whole day," said Jerry. "I'm
kind of curious to see what fasting is like, anyhow. This will be
a good chance to find out."

"What day will we choose for it?" asked Una, who thought it would
he quite an easy punishment and rather wondered that Jerry and