"Mark and I were the only Torchlights from this town, and the first thing I did when I got home was to break my bones in a runaway, and that put me out of the race."
"But it didn't keep him from doing a lot for the boys," said Mark. "Every week we all visited him and had a jolly evening with games, reading and singing and a dandy lunch. At first Jack's people rather scouted the idea of entertaining the Stony Road gang. The first night one of them cut a fine china plate in two, and another shied egg-shells over his shoulder against the wall. Mrs. Lever was horrified, but we begged her to wait and give us another trial."
"Now mother and the rest are completely won over and help us lots. I believe I would have knocked my brains out against the wall this summer, only for the Torchlights. I found we can't do good to others without receiving a reactionary benefit. As Phil says, many a rich lad joins in a patronizing way, thinking he's going to revolutionize things, and soon finds it's himself that needs to be done over."
"We were surprised to find a sister club ahead of us here, but we are not at all jealous!" said Mark.
"We can help each other out."
"I thank you in the name of the Happy-Go-Luckys! The Torchlights are fine!" said Laura heartily.
"We might all take for our club poem this little verse," and, half embarrassed by the sudden silence, Alene recited softly—
"'Jesus bids us shine,
With a clear pure light,
Like a little candle,
Burning in the night.
In the world is darkness,
So we must shine,
You in your corner,
And I in mine.'"
"Your lights are torches, you can take them with you out into the world," said Laura.
"As we are all so solemncholy, I'll propose a toast: