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, though willing to admit this particular one.

“Better make a new rule to have ten members, and admit both Bob and Tom Grant,” said Ralph, whereat Grif grinned and Joe scowled, for one lad liked Merry’s big brother and the other did not.

“That’s a good idea!  Put it to vote,” said Gus, too kind-hearted to shut the door on any one.

“First I want to ask if all you fellows are ready to stand by Bob, out of the club as well as in, for it won’t do much good to be kind to him here and cut him at school and in the street,” said Ed, heartily in earnest about the matter.

“I will!” cried Jack, ready to follow where his beloved friend led, and the others nodded, unwilling to be outdone by the youngest member.

“Good!  With all of us to lend a hand, we can do a great deal; and I tell you, boys, it is time, if we want to keep poor Bob straight.  We all turn our backs on him, so he loafs round the tavern, and goes with fellows we don’t care to know.  But he isn’t bad yet, and we can keep him up, I’m sure, if we just try.  I hope to get him into the Lodge, and that will be half the battle, won’t it, Frank?” added Ed, sure that this suggestion would have weight with the honorable Chairman.

“Bring him along; I’m with you!” answered Frank, making up his mind at once, for he had joined the Temperance Lodge four years ago, and already six boys had followed his example.

“He is learning to smoke, but we’ll make him drop it before it leads to worse.  You can help him there, Admiral, if you only will,” added Ed, giving a grateful look at one friend, and turning to the other.