This was agreed to and Tommy Beals was elected treasurer.
“Now if there’s no objection I’ll assign the various jobs,” continued Ned. “Dick and Red are to get brooms, scrapers, and whatever else they think we need for fixing the floors. Weary and Wat will attend to the bunting and such other decorations as may be required—also the candles. Fatty and Jim will look after the matter of refreshments. The first thing to do is to make sure that we can get the use of this house at a rental that we can afford. I’ll talk to the town authorities right away and see if we can get a lease. Let’s meet at Dave’s house tomorrow afternoon and hear reports on costs of the different items, after that, we can make definite plans.”
CHAPTER IX
HOUSECLEANING
Dave Wilbur’s back-yard was, as has been said, a favorite meeting-place for the Truesdell boys, and when for any reason secret sessions were desirable, the garage was especially convenient. Here, on the following afternoon, the seven prospective business men assembled to listen to reports of their various committees and to discuss ways and means. Ned Blake mounted a rickety step-ladder and called the meeting to order.
“I ran into a snag the moment I applied for a lease of the Coleson property,” began Ned. “The town authorities are willing to get some income from it to cover taxes, but it seems that to be legal the lease must stand in the name of somebody over twenty-one years old. We can get it for three months at twenty-five dollars a month, but the papers must be made out to somebody of legal age.”
“That ought to be easy,” suggested Dick Somers. “I know Dad would let the lease stand in his name, if I asked him to.”
Ned shook his head. “Of course we can get around it that way—and maybe we’ll have to come to it; but this scheme is all our own and I’d like to see us put it through and make a big success of it by our own efforts, without calling on anybody’s father for help in any way.”
“That’s the stuff!” exclaimed Wat Sanford. “We want to run this thing on our own. There ought to be some way to get around this silly legal difficulty.”
“I’ve got an idea,” volunteered Tommy Beals from the front seat of the flivver, where he had ensconced himself. “I talked with our man, Sam, last night and he agreed to handle the refreshments for us. Why not have the lease put in his name? That will cover the law and make Sam all the more anxious to attend to his part of the business.”
“Bully idea, Patty!” chorused several voices.