"We had a beautiful funeral, Cousin Zélie, and are going to take up a collection for a tombstone," said Aleck.
They grew so merry over Ikey's story that it was difficult to come back to such commonplaces as writing on fences and walls, and scattering papers around.
"Everybody does such things, so what difference will our not doing them make?" asked Jim.
"Everything has to begin, and you don't know how contagious a good example is," replied Mrs. Howard.
"Let's have a penny fine for each time we do a thing of the sort," Carl suggested.
Last of all, Will Archer told about the little lame boy, son of the minister at the church on the corner.
"I think perhaps it would be a pleasure to him if some of us would go to see him occasionally. He hardly gets out at all in the winter, and he is a bright little fellow."
"That is a beautiful suggestion," said Mrs. Howard. "I am glad that you have thought of so many things good neighbors should and should not do. Taken all together it amounts to this: To be thoughtful for the rights of others, and ready to help. Now, what of our club? Shall we try this plan?"
It was unanimously adopted, and they all wrote their names under the text in a new blank-book which was handed over to Jim, who offered no objection to being made secretary.
"And now for our work," said Mrs. Howard. "Some years ago, when I spent a summer in Maine, I learned from an Indian woman to make baskets of sweet grass. This year I had a friend bring me some of this grass, and it occurred to me the other day that it would be just the work for you boys."