"It will be lots of work to be editor," meditated Eunice. "Wouldn't this be better, girls? Let each be editor in turn."
"Yes, that will be best," said Cricket. "I'd just as lief be first editor, though, if Edna doesn't want to."
"And I'd _lievser_ you would," said Edna. "Shall I be secretary and treasurer, then? All in favour say aye;" and Eunice and Cricket said aye, loudly.
"What do we do now the officers are all chosen?" asked Edna.
"Make rules and by-laws," answered Cricket, promptly.
"Why, they are--by-laws. I don't know just exactly what they are," broke off Cricket, honestly. "But I think they sound very interesting and grown-up-y. Do you know what they are, Eunice?"
"N--o, not exactly. Do you suppose they are the laws about buying things? or who must buy them, or anything like that?"
"Why, of course!" exclaimed Cricket, with an air of conviction. "You see then, we'll _have_ to have by-laws to see about buying the paper, won't we?"
"And what sort of rules do we have?" went on Edna, in the pursuit of information.
"Oh, everything! Let's begin to make them now. You write them down, Edna, for your handwriting is so nice and neat. Take the last leaf of your blank book."
Edna obediently opened her book, and took up her pencil.
"Write 'Rules for the Echo Club' at the top of the page," directed Cricket. "Now, Rule One," when this was down in Edna's careful handwriting.
"How would this do for rule one? 'We make ourselves into a club called the Echo Club.'"
"'Every two weeks we will print a paper called the _Echo_,'" said Cricket. "Edna, you make up rule three."
"'The secretary shall be excused from writing stories,'" laughed Edna.
"You lazy, lazy thing. That sha'n't be a rule at all," answered Eunice, laughing also.
"How would this do, then, for rule three? 'The Echo Club will not do anything in very hot weather, but sit under the trees and embroider and read, and none of the members shall be allowed to make the others go on long walks and things when it's so roasting hot that nobody wants to stir.' That's a beautiful rule," said Edna, mischievously. Whereupon Cricket flew at her, and rolled her over on the sand, till she cried for mercy.
"Will the meeting please come to order," announced the president. "Let's have the third rule about our ribbons. We'll choose one colour. I vote for pale-green."