all the people who live here keep their sidewalks clean and not
have any ashes or rubbish anywhere about."

"I think it's great," said King. "I move we go right bang! into it, and
that we first change the name of the Jinks Club to the Village
Improvement Society. Then let's keep just the same officers, and
everything, and go right ahead and improve."

"Yes," said Marjorie, "and then whenever we want to turn back again to
the Jinks Club, why, we can."

"Oh, we won't want to turn back," said King, confidently; "the other'll
be more fun."

"All right," said Dick. "I'm secretary, so I'll make out a list of what
we can do. How much money is there in the treasury, Midget?"

"Sixty cents," said Marjorie, promptly.

"Huh! Just what we paid in to-day."

"Yes, you know we spent last week's money going on a trolley ride."

"So we did. Well, we'll have to have more cash, if we're going to
improve this town much."

"Then I can't belong," said Marjorie, decidedly. "I've got to begin now
to save money for Christmas. I'd rather have it for that than plant
flower beds."

"A nice citizen you are!" growled King. "But," he added, "I haven't any
extra money, either. Christmas is coming, and that's a fact!"

"Father'll give us Christmas money," said Kitty.

"Yes; but he likes to have us save some of our allowance, too. He says
it makes better gifts."

"Well," said Dick, "let's do things that don't cost money, then. Father
said the streets and lanes ought to be kept in better order. Let's go
around and pick up the old cans and things."

"No, thank you," said Marjorie, turning up her small nose. "I'm no
ragpicker."

"I wouldn't do that, either," said Gladys; "that is, unless I had a
horse and cart. A pony-cart, I mean; not a dump-cart. But, Dick, I heard
Father talking last night, too; and he said a society like that would
send out letters to the citizens, asking them to keep their yards in
better order."

"That's the ticket, Gladys!" cried Kingdon, admiringly. "You've struck
it now. Of course that's the way to accomplish what we are after, in a
dignified manner. Let's write a lot of those letters, and then when the
people fix their places all up, we'll say that we started the movement."

"All right," said Dick, "I think that's just what Father meant. But he
said 'a circular letter.' That means have it printed."

"Oh, well, we can't afford to have it printed. Why, we can't scrape up
postage for very many letters. Sixty