“Well, a rich old lady kept her family awake with that lively music, so she sent to Shirtman and Codleff for something to stop it.  They thought it was a good joke, and told me to see what I could do.  I thought it over, and got up the nicest little affair you ever saw.  It went over the mouth, and had a tube to fit the ear, so when the lady snored she woke herself up and stopped it.  It suited exactly.  I think of taking out a patent,” concluded Ralph, joining in the boys’ laugh at the droll idea.

“What was the pad?” asked Frank, returning to the small model of an engine he was making.

“Oh, that was a mere trifle for a man who had a tender elbow-joint and wanted something to protect it.  I made a little pad to fit on, and his crazy-bone was safe.”

“I planned to have you make me a new leg if this one was spoilt,” said Jack, sure that his friend could invent anything under the sun.

“I’d do my best for you.  I made a hand for a fellow once, and that got me my place, you know,” answered Ralph, who thought little of such mechanical trifles, and longed to be painting portraits or modelling busts, being an artist as well as an inventor.

Here Gus, Ed, and several other boys came in, and the conversation became general.  Grif, Chick, and Brickbat were three young gentlemen whose own respectable names were usually ignored, and they cheerfully answered to these nicknames.

As the clock struck seven, Frank, who ruled the club with a rod of iron when Chairman, took his place behind the study table.  Seats stood about it, and a large, shabby book lay before Gus, who was Secretary, and kept the records with a lavish expenditure of ink, to judge by the blots.  The members took their seats, and nearly all tilted back their chairs and put their hands in their pockets, to keep them out of mischief; for, as every one knows, it is impossible for two lads to be near each other and refrain from tickling or pinching.  Frank gave three raps with an old croquet-mallet set on a short handle, and with much dignity opened the meeting.

“Gentlemen, the business of the club will be attended to, and then we will discuss the question, ‘Shall girls go to our colleges?’ The Secretary will now read the report of the last meeting.”

Clearing his throat, Gus read the following brief and elegant report:—­

“Club met, December 18th, at the house of G. Burton, Esq.  Subject:  ‘Is summer or winter best fun?’ A lively pow-wow.  About evenly divided.  J. Flint fined five cents for disrespect to the Chair.  A collection of forty cents taken up to pay for breaking a pane of glass during a free fight of the members on the door-step.  E. Devlin was chosen Secretary for the coming year, and a new book contributed by the Chairman.”

“That’s all.”

“Is there any other business before the meeting?” asked Frank, as the reader closed the old book with a slam and shoved the new one across the table.