"I perpose," he said, "that we hae a Club a' for oorsels."
The meeting with unanimous palm and hoof signified its approval of this grand proposal, obviously one which had been discussed before.
"We will hae it in here, and we'll pay to be members—an' that will do for the coals, and we'll hae smokin'——"
Celie sat aghast. Events were precipitating themselves with a vengeance. Indeed, surprise sat so manifest on her countenance that Cleg thought it wise to point out its genuine character to his brother members. It would never do for them to believe that the great idea of the club had not originated with themselves.
"She kens nocht aboot it, but I ken fine she's gaun to stan' in wi' us!" he explained, putting her, as it were, on her honour and under the solemn seal of the bloody cross of the Knuckle Dusters.
In this Celie, bound by her oath, had indeed no choice.
She must of a surety stand by them. But a serious difficulty occurred to her.
"Lads," she said, "we have only the right to this place for one night in the week. How can we occupy it every night?"
All the boys laughed loud. The question was mightily amusing. Indeed, Celie was often most amusing to them when she had no intention of being so.