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” I told her. I was lounging on Claudia’s bed, my feet propped up on the headboard.“It seems to be too much work.”
    â€œYeah, ” said Claudia, who was sitting next to me. She rummaged around in her pillowcase, trying to find some candy she’d hidden there.
    â€œYeah, ” agreed Mary Anne from her spot in the director’s chair.
    â€œBut
I
got two new members, ” Kristy told us proudly.“And they’re both eighth-graders.”
    â€œYou’re kidding!” I exclaimed.“That’s super!”
    â€œWhat are their names?” asked Claudia.
    â€œJanet Gates and Leslie Howard.”
    Claudia frowned.“I thought they were friends of Liz’s, ” she said slowly.
    Kristy looked smug.“Not anymore. They were part of the agency, but they dropped out. They didn’t like it.”
    â€œDefectors, ” I said.
    â€œAlready?” asked Mary Anne.
    â€œYup, ” replied Kristy.
    â€œGosh, the agency must be pretty bad if kids are dropping out so soon, ” I said.
    â€œLeslie said they didn’t like having to give Liz and Michelle part of what they earned. Plus, Liz gave them really horrible kids to sit for. She kept all the nice, well-behaved ones for herself and Michelle.”
    â€œSo they’re coming to the next meeting?” asked Claudia.
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œBut … something’s wrong about this, ” said Mary Anne.“Something … I know what it is. Remember when we were first starting the club and we were deciding whether to invite Stacey to join? We didn’t know her, so we asked her all sorts of things about the baby-sitting she did in New York. We wanted a club of
good
baby-sitters. Dedicated baby-sitters. Do you know anything about Janet and Leslie, Kristy?”
    â€œWell, no, ” she admitted.
    â€œAnd you’ve already told them they can be members?”
    â€œYes….”
    â€œGosh, I don’t know.”
    â€œIt seems risky, ” I said.
    Kristy looked at us uncomfortably.“Well,it’s too late now. We’ll just have to take our chances.”
    Claudia found several pieces of candy in her pillowcase and handed them to Kristy and Mary Anne. They unwrapped them and began crunching away.
    â€œWell, there’s one good thing, ” I spoke up.
    â€œWhat?” everybody asked eagerly.
    â€œIf the agency is as horrible as Janet and Leslie say, maybe it won’t last long.”
    â€œYeah, ” agreed the others.
    We sat quietly, and after a moment I realized that the four of us were staring at the phone.“I wonder if we could make it ring if we all concentrated on it, ” I said. We tried, but nothing happened.
    At six o’clock, when the meeting ended, we hadn’t gotten a single Baby-sitters Club call.

The next afternoon, since none of us had a babysitting job and we were very bored, we went over to the Thomases’ house. Kristy called Mrs. Newton, who was home from the hospital, and asked if we could visit them and see the new baby. When she said yes, we were really excited.
    â€œOh, goody!” exclaimed Kristy after she’d hung up the phone. “I have a present for the baby, and one for Jamie, too.”
    â€œSo do I,” I said.
    â€œSo do I,” said Claudia.
    â€œSo do I,” said Mary Anne.
    â€œAre they wrapped?” asked Claudia.
    â€œNo,” we answered.
    â€œGood. Go get your presents and meet me in my room. I’ve got great stuff for gift wrapping.”
    When we were gathered in Claudia’s room, we spread out our presents. We all began to squeal, “Oh, that’s so
cute!”
    Kristy had gotten a little toy car for Jamie and a rattle shaped like a duck for Lucy. Claudia had bought Jamie a dinosaur and had painted a picture of kittens for Mrs. Newton to hang in the baby’s room. I had bought two books: a paperback called
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
for Jamie