"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!" CHAPTER III. FIRST MEETING OF THE CLUB. Normandy.--Story of the New Forest and the Red King.--Story of Robert of Normandy.--Story of the White Ship.--Story of the Frolicsome Duke and the Tinker's Good Fortune.--Master Lewis commends the Club.--The Secret. When the boys were allowed to go to Boston,--once a week,--they had access to the fine Public Library of which that city is justly so proud. It was observed that the whole character of their reading changed from merely entertaining to the most instructive books, after the forming of the Club. Such picturesque historical works as Guizot's "France" and "England," Palgrave's "Norman Conquest," Froude's "England," Agnes Strickland's "Lives of the Queens," became especial favorites. Even Tommy Toby read through Dickens's Child's History of England, several of Abbott's short histories of the kings and queens, and a book of marvellous old English ballads. [Illustration: HAROLD'S OATH.] The Club met as appointed. Each of the six boys had made his best preparation for the exercises of the evening. All the boys were present; and Master Lewis and his little daughter Florence sat beside young President Wynn, on the platform.