Page:Stanwood Pier--Harding of St Timothys.djvu/55

Rh It's nothing. All you do to belong is to wear the SB pin—and keep up the bluff. The members never know whether SB means Society Busters or Secret Bluff, or what. That's all there is to it. Want to join?"

"Sure!" they answered.

Rupert presented them with the insignia.

"Now," he said, "let's put our pins conspicuously on our vests and sally forth into the world. We've got about five minutes before study is called in—just time enough, if we keep together and hold a straight face, to start a nice little sensation."

They marched up the steps and sauntered about in front of the study, with their hands in their pockets and their coats wide open, exhibiting their pins. Francis Stoddard felt quite self-conscious, and had hard work to repress the nervous little smile that was twitching at his lips. A good many fellows seemed to be staring, and that both excited and embarrassed him. But the three other conspirators strolled about with faces that were quite unconcerned.