said Jonas. "I was not spying upon you. In
fact, quite the contrary, it was expressly to see you and deliver a
message that I came into the room."

"A message!" cried Rollo, "and from whom, pray?"

"From your Uncle George," answered Jonas. "He wishes to know if you
could dine with him to-night and go to the theatre."

Rollo's face lighted up with pleasure, but he replied seriously,
"To-night? Let me see; to-day is Thursday, is it not? I do not think I
have any engagement for this evening."

Of course Rollo knew very well that he had no engagement, but he had
learned that in the city it was not considered polite to accept any
invitation without a certain amount of hesitation. When Jonas had left
the room, however, Rollo leaped about with many a caper, and shouted
"Hurray!" to himself. He no longer felt gloomy and contrary, but was
quite satisfied with the world which had looked so dark to him a few
moments before. At exactly seven o'clock in the evening, Rollo was
ready and waiting, dressed in his best suit with a new tie which his
father had purchased for ten cents from a peddler in the lower part of
the city. Rollo's father once said to him, "My son, buy everything you
can from a cart. You get more for your penny."

Uncle George came promptly as he had promised and Rollo drove off with
him gaily in a bright yellow taxicab. Rollo's uncle has not lately
been mentioned in these stories. He was a younger brother of Rollo's
mother, and Rollo liked him very much, partly because he was always
gay and light-hearted, and partly because his father did not seem to
approve of Uncle George. Rollo's father frowned very severely when he
saw the yellow taxicab, but since he was not paying for it he said
nothing.

"I am going to take you to my club," said Uncle George.

"A club!" cried Rollo. "What is that?"

"I will tell you," said Uncle George. "A club is a place of refuge
from one's family. It is an organization where a man can order what
he likes for dinner, when he likes. It is a place where he can be
sure that his letters will not be opened by mistake."

[Illustration: "Rollo never dreamed that ladies could be so
beautiful"]

"Could my mother belong to this club?" asked Rollo.

"No; only gentlemen are admitted."

"But could my father join such an organization?"

"No, not the club I have in mind. I do not think even your father
could become a member."

"What a delightful place!" said Rollo.

"Indeed it is so,"