cation for membership--was not so apprehensive.
He voted with Sam and Penrod, carrying the day.

New rules were adopted at every meeting (though it cannot be said
that all of them were practicable) for, in addition to the information
possessed by Sam and Penrod, Herman and Verman had many ideas of their
own, founded upon remarks overheard at home. Both their parents belonged
to secret orders, their father to the Innapenent 'Nevolent Lodge (so
stated by Herman) and their mother to the Order of White Doves.

From these and other sources, Penrod found no difficulty in compiling
material for what came to be known as the "rixual"; and it was the
rixual he was reading to the members when Mrs. Williams happened to
observe the ceremonial raising of the emblem of the order.

The rixual contained the oath, a key to the secret language, or code
(devised by Penrod for use in uncertain emergencies) and passwords for
admission to the shack, also instructions for recognizing a brother
member in the dark, and a rather alarming sketch of the things to be
done during the initiation of a candidate.

This last was employed for the benefit of Master Roderick Magsworth
Bitts, Junior, on the Saturday following the flag-raising. He presented
himself in Sam's yard, not for initiation, indeed--having no previous
knowledge of the Society of the In-Or-In--but for general purposes
of sport and pastime. At first sight of the shack he expressed
anticipations of pleasure, adding some suggestions for improving the
architectural effect. Being prevented, however, from entering, and even
from standing in the vicinity of the sacred building, he plaintively
demanded an explanation; whereupon he was commanded to withdraw to the
front yard for a time, and the members held meeting in the shack. Roddy
was elected, and consented to undergo the initiation.

He was not the only new member that day. A short time after Roddy
had been taken into the shack for the reading of the rixual and other
ceremonies, little Maurice Levy entered the Williams' gate and strolled
round to the backyard, looking for Sam. He was surprised and delighted
to behold the promising shack, and, like Roddy, entertained fair hopes
for the future.

The door of the shack was closed; a board covered the window, but a
murmur of voices came from within. Maurice stole close and listened.
Through a crack he could see the flicker of a candle-flame, and he heard
the voice of Penrod Schofield: