If
you want to keep it, be polite and invite him in."
"But--"
"That's ALL, I said!"
Sam was crushed.
Next day he communicated the bitter substance of the edict to the
other members, and gloom became unanimous. So serious an aspect
did the affair present that it was felt necessary to call a
special meeting of the order after school. The entire membership
was in attendance; the door was closed, the window covered with a
board, and the candle lighted. Then all of the brothers--except
one--began to express their sorrowful apprehensions. The whole
thing was spoiled, they agreed, if Georgie Bassett had to be
taken in. On the other hand, if they didn't take him in, "there
wouldn't be anything left." The one brother who failed to express
any opinion was little Verman. He was otherwise occupied.
Verman had been the official paddler during the initiations of
Roddy Bitts and Maurice Levy; his work had been conscientious,
and it seemed to be taken by consent that he was to continue in
office. An old shingle from the woodshed roof had been used for
the exercise of his function in the cases of Roddy and Maurice;
but this afternoon he had brought with him a new one that he had
picked up somewhere.
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