"This? 0h, this would be fine--but Mr. Scott, it would cost a pilefor this."

"Rather more than for yours, of course, but now this is the way of it,Theodore. I liked your plan about the club, but I didn't like the ideaof your giving up your own chamber to it, so I spoke to several gentlemenof my acquaintance about the matter, and they all wanted to have ahand in it. So they each gave me a sum of money, and then Iinterviewed your landlord and rented this chamber. He is going to have itblackwashed, and then we shall have the floor thoroughly scrubbed andoutside blinds put on these sunny windows. Then we shall put in sometables and chairs and some plain pine shelves for the books and papersthat we are going to collect from our friends, and if you like, someof us will give the boys a talk on current events once a fortnight or so."

"What's current events?" interposed Theo, quickly.

"You'll soon find out. Now then, Theo, we must have somebody to takecharge of this room. Can you do it?"

"Yes, indeed."

"You know that means that you must be here every evening in the week,from half past seven to twelve o'clock. You'll want to be away occasionally,Theodore."

"Yes, I s'pose I will, but I'm ready to stay here all the same untilnight school begins again."

"Very well, then we'll let it be so, and we'll try to have the chamberready for our opening in a month or two--as soon as we have enoughbooks and papers to begin with." Mr. Scott locked the entrance as hespoke, and the two went downstairs.

Theodore's face was full of satisfaction over the promisedreading-room, but it clouded a little as his teacher exclaimed,