company, I shall vote down all such rules as that," said Tom to himself. "A fellow needs a little time to be lazy, and I shall take it, too, without asking any body's consent." Then aloud he asked, as if the thought had just occurred to him: "By the way, when do you hold your next meeting?"
"Thursday night."
"Well, take in our names, will you? Mine and my cousins'."
"I should be glad to oblige you, but I can't do it."
"You can't do it?" said Tom, who was angry in an instant. "Why not, I'd like to know?"
"There are two reasons. In the first place, you have not been here long enough—we don't know any thing about you."
"If that isn't a little ahead of anything I ever heard of I wouldn't say so!" exclaimed Tom, as soon as his rage would permit him to speak. "My father is—"
"We don't care who or what your father is; we must know what you are. In the second place, our membership is limited, and the boys' roster is full."
