that was not unusual.

It was the first meeting of the Order of the Big Front Door, that was
being held at Miss Brown's this afternoon.

As the M.Ks. were still at work on Aunt Sallie's afghan, their meeting
was put at half-past two in order to give them an hour and still leave
time for the other. When this had passed the knitting was put away and
more chairs brought in, for the Brown house sitting-room was not a
spacious apartment, and twelve visitors quite filled it.

Much excitement was caused by the box which Aunt Zelie carried, for of
course it held the long-expected badges.

"It is good of you to meet here," said Miss Brown, giving the G.Ns. a
cordial welcome.

"It is good of you to let us," replied Mrs. Howard. "You belong to the
new Order, and must have your badge as well as the rest of us. And now
the meeting will please be in order, especially the members on the
window-sill.

"The first business before us is the election of a President. The
Tellers will please distribute the ballots."

This office was performed by Elsie and Aleck, who also collected and
counted the votes, and announced the election of Will Archer. In the
same way Bess was made Secretary and Ikey Treasurer. It was decided
that the G.Ns. would give up their club once a month for the meeting
of the Order, when reports from both clubs would be made. When this
business was finished Aunt Zelie took up her box, saying, "The next
thing is the distribution of badges; but before I take them out I want
to say a word."

"Hear! Hear!" murmured Carl.

"No preaching!" begged Aleck.

"_Do_, Mrs. Howard, he needs it," said Dora.

"Yes, I am going to preach a little. I want you to remember that these
badges are to keep our motto before you. They mean that you promise to
be helpers, and that is something more than getting up entertainments
as we did for the harp man. It means being good-tempered and kind at
home and in school, doing little thoughtful things for people. You
remember in the story of the Magic Door it was because they forgot
this that the lock grew rusty and useless, so it seemed to me that the
most appropriate badge would be this." As she spoke she took from the
box a tiny silver key. On close inspection it proved to be a pin so
prettily and ingeniously made that anybody might be pleased to wear
it. On one side was engraved a part of their motto--"They Helped"--and
on the other, the letters O.B.F.D.

So great was the enthusiasm th