Chapter IX. The Debating Club

uchdignityopenedthemeeting. “Gentlemen,thebusinessoftheclubwillbeattendedto,andthenwewilldiscussthequestion,'Shallgirlsgotoourcolleges?'TheSecretarywillnowreadthereportofthelastmeeting.” Clearinghisthroat,Gusreadthefollowingbriefandelegantreport:— “Clubmet,December18th,atthehouseofG.Burton,Esq.Subject:'Issummerorwinterbestfun?'Alivelypow-wow.Aboutevenlydivided.J.FlintfinedfivecentsfordisrespecttotheChair.Acollectionoffortycentstakenuptopayforbreakingapaneofglassduringafreefightofthemembersonthedoor-step.E.DevlinwaschosenSecretaryforthecomingyear,andanewbookcontributedbytheChairman.” “That'sall.” “Isthereanyotherbusinessbeforethemeeting?”askedFrank,asthereaderclosedtheoldbookwithaslamandshovedthenewoneacrossthetable. Edrose,andglancingabouthimwithanappealinglook,said,asifsurehispropositionwouldnotbewellreceived,“Iwishtoproposethenameofanewmember.BobWalkerwantstojoin,andIthinkweoughttolethim.Heistryingtobehavewell,andIamsurewecouldhelphim.Can'twe?” Alltheboyslookedsober,andJoe,otherwiseBrickbat,said,bluntly,“Iwon't.He'sabadlot,andwedon'twantanysuchhere.Lethimgowithchapsofhisownsort.” “ThatisjustwhatIwanttokeephimfrom!He'sagood-heartedboyenough,onlynoonelooksafterhimsohegetsintoscrapes,asweshould,ifwewereinhisplace,Idaresay.Hewantstocomehere,andwouldbesoproudifhewasletin,Iknowhe'dbehave.Comenow,let'sgivehimachance,”andEdlookedatGusandFrank,surethatiftheystoodbyhimheshouldcarryhispoint. ButGusshookhishead,asifdoubtfulofthewisdomoftheplan,andFranksaidgravely:“Youknowwemadetherulethatthenumbershouldneverbeovereight,andwecannotbreakit.” “Youneedn't.Ican'tbeherehalfthetime,soIwillresignandletBobhavemyplace,”beganEd,buthewassilencedbyshoutsof“No,no,youshan't!”“Wewon'tletyouoff!”“Clubwouldgotosmash,ifyoubackout!” “LethimhavemyplaceI'mtheyoungest,andyouwon'tmissme,”criedJack,boundtostandbyEdatallcosts. “Wemightdothat,”saidFrank,whodidobjecttosmallboys,thoughwillingtoadmitthisparticularone. “Bettermakeanewruletohavetenmembers,andadmitbothBobandTomGrant,”saidRalph,whereatGrifgrinnedandJoescowled,foroneladlikedMerry'sbigbrotherandtheotherdidnot. “That'sagoodidea!Putittovote,”saidGus,tookind-heartedtoshutthedooronanyone. “FirstIwanttoaskifallyoufellowsarereadytostandbyBob,outoftheclubaswellasin,foritwon'tdomuchgoodtobekindtohimhereandcuthimatschoolandinthestreet,”saidEd,heartilyinearnestaboutthematter. “Iwill!”criedJack,readytofollowwherehisbelovedfriendled,andtheothersnodded,unwillingtobeoutdonebytheyoungestmember. “Good!Withallofustolendahand,wecandoagreatdealandItellyou,boys,itistime,ifwewanttokeeppoorBobstraight.Weallturnourbacksonhim,soheloafsroundthetavern,andgoeswithfellowswedon'tcaretoknow.Butheisn'tbadyet,andwecankeephimup,I'msure,ifwejusttry.IhopetogethimintotheLodge,andthatwillbehalfthebattle,won'tit,Frank?”addedEd,surethatthissuggestionwouldhaveweightwiththehonorableChairman. “BringhimalongI'mwithyou!”answeredFrank,makinguphismindatonce,forhehadjoinedtheTemperanceLodgefouryearsago,andalreadysixboyshadfollowedhisexample. “Heislearningtosmoke,butwe'llmakehimdropitbeforeitleadstoworse.Youcanhelphimthere,Admiral,ifyouonlywill,”addedEd,givingagratefullookatonefriend,andturningtotheother. “I'myourman”andGuslookedasifheknewwhathepromised,forhehadgivenupsmokingtoobligehisfather,andkepthiswordlikeahero. “Youotherfellowscandoagooddealbyjustbeingkindandnottwittinghimwitholdscrapes,andI'lldoanythingIcanforyoualltopayforthis”andEdsatdownwithabeamingsmile,feelingthathiscausewaswon. Thevotewastaken,andallhandswentup,forevensurlyJoegaveinsoBobandTomweredulyelected,andprovedtheirgratitudeforthehonordonethembybecomingworthymembersoftheclub.Itwasonlyboys'playnow,butthekindheartandpureinstinctsofoneladshowedtheothershowtolendahelpinghandtoacomradeindanger,andwinhimawayfromtemptationtothesaferpastimesoftheirmoreguardedlives. Wellpleasedwiththemselves—foreverygenuineactorword,nomatterhowtriflingitseems,leavesasweetandstrengt