e other day. He seems made to be a carpenter."

"Yes, I think so myself," said the Widow Sullivan. "The whole lot of
them is out by the railroad now, building a hut. They've organised a
'Hut Club' to-day, and never a lick of work have I had out of them boys
since mornin'. They've always got something going on, and when I want
a bit of water from the well, or a little wood from the shed, they're
never around."

"Yes, but boys will be boys, Mrs. Sullivan, and we'd better keep them
contented at home as long as we can. They'll be leaving us soon enough.
It seems that no boys are content to stay in town any longer; they're
all anxious to be off to the city."

"That's true, that's true, Mrs. Dunn," said Mrs. Sullivan. "I must be
going now. I'm much obliged for the rain-water, and whenever you want a
bit of milk call over the fence, and I'll bring it to you with pleasure.
It's a good neighbour you are, Mrs. Dunn."

And Mrs. Sullivan went slowly around the house and out at the front
gate, while good Mrs. Dunn returned to her ironing, a few clothes having
to be ready for Sunday.

While these mothers were discussing their boys, the youngsters
themselves were busy behind the barn, building a hut down near the
railway track. There were six of them altogether, the three extra ones,
besides Archie Dunn and the Sullivan boys, having come from across
the railway to play for the day. Two hours before they had solemnly
organised themselves into the "Hut Club," each boy walking three times
around the block blindfolded, and swearing upon his return to be true
to all the rules and regulations of the organisation, which had been
written with chalk on the side of the barn. The regulations were
numerous, but the most important one was that no East Side boys were to
be allowed within the club-room when it was built, and that the club's
policy should be one of warfare against the East Siders on every
occasion when they met. This fight against the East Side was, indeed,
responsible for the organisation of the club. It was felt necessary to
have some head to their forces, and some means of holding together. So
the club was organised, and now the next thing on the programme was the
erection of a hut to serve as a club-house. Archie Dunn, who had been
elected president, volunteered to get three boards and a hammer if the
other boys would each get two boards and some nails. This proposition
was agreed to, and when the boys returned from their fo