Prudence'll make us pay for the oysters, sure. Remember that."

"We'd better let Connie in, too," suggested Lark.

Connie was hastily summoned, and the twins whispered explanations in
her willing ears. "Good!" she said approvingly. "It'll serve 'em
right."

"But it'll cost money," said Carol. "How much have you got?"

Then Connie understood why she had been consulted. The twins always
invited her to join their enterprises when money was required.

"A quarter," she faltered.

"Well, we'll go shares," said Lark generously. "We'll pay a dime
apiece. It may not take that much. But if Prudence makes us pay for
the oysters, you'll have to pay a third. Will you do that?"

"Yes, indeed." Connie was relieved. She did not always get off so
easily!

"Twins! You must hurry!" This was Prudence at the bottom of the
stairs. And the twins set off quite hurriedly. Their first tall was
at the meat market.

"A pint of oysters," said Lark briefly.

When he brought them to her, she smelled them suspiciously. Then Carol
smelled.

"Are these rotten oysters?" she demanded hopefully.

"No," he answered, laughing. "Certainly not."

"Have you got any rotten ones?"

"No, we don't keep that kind." He was still laughing.

The twins sighed and hurried next door to the grocer's.

"A nickel's worth of pepper--the strongest you have."

This was quickly settled--and the grave-faced twins betook themselves
to the corner drug store.

"We--we want something with a perfectly awful smell," Lark explained
soberly.

"What kind of a smell?"

"We don't care what kind, but it must be perfectly sickening. Like
something rotten, or dead, if you have it. Something that will stay
smelly for several hours,--but it mustn't be dangerous, of course."

"What do you want it for?"

"We want it to put in a room to give it a horrible smell for an hour or
so." Lark winked at him solemnly. "It's a joke," she further
elucidated.

"I see." His eyes twinkled. "I think I can fix you up." A moment
later he handed her a small bottle. "Just sprinkle this over the
carpet. It won't do any harm, and it smells like thunder. It costs a
quarter."

Carol frowned. "I suppose we'll have to take it," she said, "but it's
pretty expensive. I hate to have druggists get such a lot of money."

He laughed aloud. "I hate to have you get a good licking to-morrow,
too,--but you'll get it just the same, or I miss my guess."

When the twins