"We'll indulge ourselves," T.O. nodded gravely. "I'm sure I've been
polite to people and patient with people long enough to have a
vacation--a summer vacation!"

"Give me a paper and pencil, somebody, quick!" This from Laura Ann.
She fell to scribbling industriously. The purring of her pencil over
the paper had a smooth, wicked sound as if it were writing wicked things.
It was.

"Be it known," read Laura Ann, flourishing her pencil, "that we, the
undersigned, having endeavored, up to the present, to be good, consider
ourselves entitled to be selfish during our summer vacation. That we
mean to be selfish--that we herewith swear to be! That we do not mean to
'do good unto' anybody except ourselves! Inasmuch as we have faithfully
tried to do our several duties hitherto, we feel justified in resting
from the same until such time as we may--er--wish to begin again.

"Furthermore, resolved: That any or all persons hereunto subscribed, who
fail to keep the letter of this compact, be summarily _dropped!_"

(Signed) "LAURA ANN BYERS."

The paper went the rounds and was soberly signed by each girl in turn.
Loraine, the last, traced three words in her tiny handwriting at the
head of the paper.

"The Wicked Compact!" read Billy over her shoulder, and nodded
agreeingly. "That's a good name for it. Doesn't it make you feel lovely
and shuddery to belong to a Wicked Compact! Oh, you needn't think I