Gardening, walks, rows on the river, and flower-hunts employed the fine days; and for rainy ones, they had house diversions⁠—some old, some new⁠—all more or less original. One of these was the “ P.C. ”; for, as secret societies were the fashion, it was thought proper to have one; and, as all of the girls admired Dickens, they called themselves the Pickwick Club. With a few interruptions, they had kept this up for a year, and met every Saturday evening in the big garret, on which occasions the ceremonies were as follows: Three chairs were arranged in a row before a table, on which was a lamp, also four white badges, with a big “ P.C.