CHAPTER II.

TOM TOBY'S SECRET SOCIETY.

Plans for the Journey.--The Boys' Letters to Master Lewis.--Tom Toby's Plans.--The New Society.--Master Lewis arranges a Cheap Tour for George and Leander.--What may be seen for $100.

From Frank Gray, Master Lewis received the following letter early in vacation-week:--

Cambridge, Mass., March 20.

My Dear Friend and Teacher:

My good father has consented for me to go.

He thinks that the tour, to be a really profitable one, should be short, and that it would be better to attempt to visit only a portion of a single country.

I have decided what country I would most like to visit. It is "fair Normandy," the scene of the most romantic events of both English and French history.

I would go from Boston to London; from London to Dieppe; and then I would make partly on foot a zigzag journey to the places indicated on the enclosed map of Normandy, and such others, including Paris, as you may suggest.

The old towns on the coast of Normandy are especially beautiful in summer, with their cool harbors, fine landscapes, and historic ruins. I am told that they are favorite places of resort of both the English and French people, and that they give one delightful insights of the best social life.

In this journey, we would have views of London and Paris, and would be able to study that part of France whose history is associated with old English wars, and that is most famous in romance and song.

I make the suggestion at your own request. You are the better judge in the whole matter, and it will give my father pleasure to adopt any plan for me you may think advisable.

I thank you again for the invitation, and father wishes me to express to you his sense of your kindness.

I wish you a most pleasant vacation, and am

Affectionately yours,

Frank Gray.

"Fan me with a feather!" Tom Toby used sometimes to say after reading one of Frank's letters; and we are not sure but this careful note would have tempted a light remark, had he ever seen it.

Soon after Frank's note, came a note from the Wynns:--

Concord, Mass., March 22.

Dear Teacher:

Father thinks so favorably of your kind invitation that we venture to express our preference for a route of travel.

It is a very simple one. We would go from Boston to Liverpool, and walk from Liverpool to London, _en zigzag_.

This would take us through the heart of England, and enable us to visit such historic places as Boscobel, where Charles II. was concealed after the battle of Worcester, old Nottingham, Kenilworth, Oxford, and Godstowe Nunnery, Stratford-on-Avon, White Horse Hill, and a great number of old English villages and ruins.

Or we would go to Glasgow, thence to Edinburgh, and then make short journeys towards London, visiting Abbotsford, Melrose, and the ruins on the Border.

We are reading Walter Scott's "Kenilworth." The book, as you may have guessed, has caused us to set our affections strongly on the middle of England as the scene of our proposed tour.

With kind remembrances of all your kindness to us.

Ernest Wynn. Wyllys Wynn.

Later came a characteristic note from two of the other boys.

Dear Teacher,--Our parents are desirous for us to go, but can hardly afford the expense. We have permission to accept your invitation, if we will travel so cheaply that the cost to each will not be more than $100. Can this be done? We are willing to go and return in the steerage, travel third-class, and take shilling lodgings, and eat plain food. We would prefer a tour through the great manufacturing towns of Scotland and England.

Respectfully,

George Howe. Leander Towle.

On Saturday of vacation-week, Master Lewis opened a much-blotted envelope, and read the following rather surprising communication:--

Master Lewis,--Father's answer to me is, "You may go anywhere that promises any improvement."

I have been thinking of it. One should see their own country first. This journey would about suit me: they are very interesting places,--Newport, Old Orchard Beach, White Mountains, Franconia Mountains, Adirondacks, Saratoga, Niagara.

Mother has been crying. She is afraid, if I go to Europe, I will never come back again.

Father thinks that there is no danger of that.

If I must go across the sea, I would prefer to go--anywhere _you_ like, only take the shortest route and fastest steamer over the water.

Were you ever sick on the ocean?

I am going to organize a society of travellers in the school,--a secret society that will pledge each other never-ending friendship and assistance.

I may need assistance myself in my life. Father thinks I shall.

I am trying to think of a secret for the society. I can think of hardly any thing that the rest of the world do not know.

Hope you are well.

Tommy.

The spring and summer term--the session lasted through April, May, and June--opened under unusually promising circumstances. The prospect of the journey of the first class seemed to stimulate the whole school: in fact, little else was talked of out of school-hours.

Master Lewis's customary address at the close of the first day of the term was waited with impatient interest. When the time came for it, there was almost a painful silence in the school-room.

"I shall speak first," said Master Lewis, "on the subject about which your conduct tells me you are most eager to hear. I have decided to make the journey abroad with the first class _this_ year"--

There was suppressed applause by the class.

"_Next_ year I hope to visit Switzerland and Italy, with all the members of the school who can go, if this proposed journey should prove a success. I say this, so that the second and third classes may feel that they, too, have an interest in this general plan."

There was a burst of applause by the whole school.

"I thank the boys of the first class for their letters and suggestions about the route to be decided upon. I think I have a plan that will be acceptable to you all. We will go first to Glasgow, will journey _en zigzag_ to London; will there take the steamer for Antwerp, and will make a zigzag tour from Ghent to St. Malo, taking a glance at Belgium, a view of the whole of Normandy and the picturesque part of Brittany, including a visit to Paris and a view of its beautiful palaces and parks.

"As a preparation for this tour, I shall require the class to give special attention to the French language and to English and French history during the term."

Every thing that Master Lewis said or did was popular with the boys, but no decision ever received more emphatic applause.

Tom Toby was busy at once, forming his secret society. He called a meeting of the boys on the evening of the very first schoolday, in his room. The Wynns entered willingly into his plan, and George Howe and Leander Towle warmly supported it. Frank Gray, however, treated the matter rather indifferently, a circumstance that Tommy quickly observed.

"The first question to be decided," said Tommy, when the boys had met in his room, "is, Shall we organize a secret society?"

The Wynns asked Frank Gray his opinion.

"I should prefer to hold my opinion in reserve, until I understand what the object of the society is to be."

"It is to have a grip just like _that_," said Tommy, seizing Frank by the hand, "one that takes the conceit all out of you, and makes you remember who are your friends for ever."

"Then I do not think I shall care to join," said Frank, rubbing his crushed hand on his knee. "I shall probably remember you as long as I shall care to, without making any such arrangement."

"I think a school society is a good thing," said Ernest Wynn, mildly. "It promotes lasting friendships"--

"Good for you!" said Tommy. "That's just what I wanted to say. 'It promotes lasting friendship,' and, like a salve, it takes the conceit"--

"It stimulates one to do his best, and"--

"That's it exactly," said Tommy. "I hope you all hear."

"Let's quit joking," said George Howe, in a matter-of-fact way. "A society for the purpose of reading and studying about the places we are to visit and for correspondence with each other, when a part of us are abroad, would be an excellent thing. I hope we may have such a society, and shall make our very best boy President of it."

"Who may that be?" said Frank.

"I," said Tommy, teasingly. "I thought you knew."

"I believe it is decided to call the society the Zigzag Travellers," said George.

"A promising name," said Frank, who was decidedly out of humor. "I would suggest the Zigzag Club."

"I would nominate for President Wyllys Wynn."

"I agree to the nomination," said Frank.

"And so do I," said Tommy Toby: "at last, Frank and I are agreed."

"Who will prepare the rules for the society?" asked Frank.

"George Howe," said Ernest.

To this all the boys agreed.

"Who shall decide upon a secret?" asked Wyllys.

"I would nominate Tommy Toby," said Frank.

Tom was unanimously elected.

The next evening a second meeting of the society was held, to which all the boys in the school were invited. It was decided to call the society "The Zigzag Club." Charles Wyman, one of the second-class boys, was appointed its Secretary, and general rules were adopted for the conduct of its meetings. All of the boys, sixteen in number, became members.

It was decided that the first formal meeting of the club for literary exercises should be held in a fortnight, and that on that occasion each boy of the first class should relate some historic story associated with one of the places he expected to visit, and it was suggested that the stories of the first meeting be confined to _Normandy_. Wyllys Wynn was asked to sing some French or Norman song on the occasion, and the Secretary was instructed to invite Master Lewis to be present, and to deliver an address.

Tommy Toby had been very reserved since the first meeting of the club. He had been quite ignored, and his feelings were hurt.

"Are you sure you treated Tommy quite right at the first meeting?" asked Ernest Wynn of Frank Gray, quietly, as he observed Tom's injured look at the second meeting of the club.

"I fear I was not quite gentlemanly," said Frank. "But I had no wish to join a society gotten up merely for fun."

"Tommy's suggestion was the beginning of the club," said Ernest. "Let's give him a vote of thanks."

"I will offer the resolution," said Frank.

"Let us close this meeting," said Frank, "by recognizing the debt we owe to one of our members. Thomas Toby is the real founder of this club. I did not feel much interested in it at first. I do now. Let us give Thomas a vote of thanks."

Every boy applauded the motion, which was passed enthusiastically.

Tommy's face brightened, and his eyes filled with tears.

"O Frank," he said, "how could you? Ernest Wynn was at the bottom of this, wasn't he?"

"Yes," said Frank.

"Well, Ernest _is_ a better fellow than I."

"Or I."

"We both are all right now!"

"Yes."

"Have you decided upon a secret?" continued Frank.

"I have thought much about it," answered Tom.

"And what is the result?"

Tommy turned to the blackboard, and wrote,--

"ALL O!"

The boys looked at the characters mysteriously.

"Is that the secret?" asked Frank.

"Yes, and I myself am going to keep it for the club."

Master Lewis had a private talk with George Howe and Leander Towle immediately on their return.

"I wish you to go," he said; "and I think a most profitable tour can be made in the way you propose for $100. You can at least visit Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, London, and Paris, and spend three days each in the three great capital cities. The information you would thus gain would be of great value to you. I thus estimate the probable expense to each:--

Steerage passage to go and return $50.00 Glasgow to Edinburgh, 2_s._ 6_d._, or 60 Edinburgh to London, and London to Paris by way of Dieppe, about £3, or 14.40 Shilling lodgings and meals for fourteen days 14.00 Miscellaneous expenses 11.00 ______ $90.00

"I will do my best to make your expenses as light as possible. I am told that one can live comfortably on four shillings a day in Scotland and England, and for five francs a day in Paris. You will not be able to enjoy our walks in historic places outside of the great cities, and you will probably be obliged to return before the rest of the party; but the very restraint you will have to use will be a good experience for you. As Franklin once said, 'A good kick out of doors is worth all the rich uncles in the world.' It is good for one to bear the yoke in his youth. You see what I mean,--self-reliance, independence! I am not altogether sorry that you will be compelled to make the journey in this way."

The boys thanked their teacher.

When they had left him, George Howe said decidedly,--

"I never respected any teacher as much as I do Master Lewis. How nobly he has treated us!"