"You mean they have to have a certain number of girls? Why don't they just pick the best players?" Laura was perplexed and the idea certainly did nothing to allay her suspicions.

"It's up to you," the other girl said, shrugging her shoulders as though it didn't matter in the least bit whether Laura, who was supposed to be her best friend, was on her team or not! Laura could not help being incensed and then hurt. "I just have to find someone," Janie continued nonchalantly.

"What would I have to do?" Laura asked then. She could not help but recall that Mack Toohey was in this club, whatever it was.

"First you have to come to a special meeting and talk to the guys, I guess. I'd have to find out for sure," Janie explained. "What time are going home for lunch, and I'll call you."

"Can't we just go and find Mack and find out now?" Laura asked.

"If I can find Mack, we got other things to do," Janie told her mysteriously.

"Like what?" Laura asked with a penetrating stare. Since when did Janie Farragut do things secret from her best friend?

"Oh, Laura, I can't tell you. That's why I want you to join!"

"Well I don't mind going and talking about it."

"I'll call you at noon."

"Yeah, okay," Laura agreed, and they parted. Laura Cutter went home because there wasn't anything better to do, and she might just as well sit around and read comics. Janie Farragut went looking for Mack, apparently.

"First I have to ask you," said Janie later that afternoon when Laura met her for the club meeting to which she was invited, "if you'll promise not to tell anyone anything if you decide not to join. I mean, you wouldn't want me to get into trouble or anything like that!"

"Of course not!" Laura affirmed. What could Janie mean by trouble?

"I told the guys you had a sense of honor and weren't any tattle tale," Janie smiled, sighing with relief.