Despite the fact that many people were passing in both directions on that November afternoon, since they stood on the main street of bustling Cliffwood, Leslie Capes snatched off his cap and waved it wildly above his head several times.
“Bully for that!” he exclaimed. “It’s the best thing that ever happened to Cliffwood since the day the old town was first started. Oh, I can see what a big help that’s going to be for all the decent boys. And in the good old summer time we can have all sorts of hikes and camping trips. That is a great surprise you’ve rung in on me, Dick!”
“Hold on!” remarked Dick. “It isn’t only the decent fellows that are going to have a chance to join the club. Mr. Holwell believes in giving every one a show, even Nat Silmore, Dit Hennesy, and their crowd. And any of the boys who work in the mills can be members if they agree to the rules of the organization.”
“Whew! I wonder how that will work?” said Leslie, frowning. “I mean about Nat and Dit, for they’re always such trouble-makers, you know.”
“Well, Mr. Holwell is willing to give them all the chances he can to make good, but you know that he isn’t going to stand too much nonsense,” Dick continued. “If Nat starts a racket he’ll find himself outside the door in a hurry, unless I miss my guess.”
“We’ll soon be rid of him then,” laughed the other boy, “because it’s just as natural for Nat to make himself disagreeable as it is for water to run down hill. But this is great news you’ve been telling me, Dick. Queer that I didn’t guess it must have had some connection with Mr. Holwell, because he’s always thinking how he can help the boys along.”
“It’s going to be the beginning of a new era in Cliffwood, he says,” Dick continued. “He thinks things are getting pretty near the breaking point, because for a fact the boys here have been going it strong of late. I can see that we’ll have jolly times this winter in that gymnasium and the club rooms.”
“As like as not Mr. Holwell will get up a whole lot of entertainments for us, such as moving pictures of an educational nature,” suggested Leslie.
“He spoke of that,” Dick volunteered, “and also told me we would have something of our own to do, though I don’t believe he’s made up his mind yet what it will be. But once I heard him tell my mother that years ago he used to belong to a traveling minstrel show, and had gone through a pack of interesting adventures while on the road. So it maybe something along that order.”
“That would be simply immense!” exclaimed the delighted Leslie. “And they could make you an end man, Dick. With that ventriloquist voice of yours I can see how you’d bring down the house.”