<PAGE>











                              CENTRAL BANCORP, INC.
                                   as Company






                                    INDENTURE
                         Dated as of September 16, 2004


                               JPMORGAN CHASE BANK
                                   As Trustee


                       JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES

                              Due December 15, 2034





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                                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                                                              PAGE


                                                   ARTICLE I
                                                  DEFINITIONS

<S>              <C>                                                                                             <C>
SECTION 1.01.    Definitions.....................................................................................1

                 Additional Interest.............................................................................1

                 Additional Provisions...........................................................................1

                 Authenticating Agent............................................................................1

                 Bankruptcy Law..................................................................................1

                 Board of Directors..............................................................................1

                 Board Resolution................................................................................2

                 Business Day....................................................................................2

                 Calculation Agent...............................................................................2

                 Capital Securities..............................................................................2

                 Capital Securities Guarantee....................................................................2

                 Capital Treatment Event.........................................................................2

                 Certificate.....................................................................................3

                 Common Securities...............................................................................3

                 Company.........................................................................................3

                 Debt Security...................................................................................3

                 Debt Security Register..........................................................................3

                 Declaration.....................................................................................3

                 Default  .......................................................................................3

                 Defaulted Interest..............................................................................3

                 Deferred Interest...............................................................................3

                 Event of Default................................................................................3


                                                                     -i-

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                                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                   (CONTINUED)

                                                                                                              PAGE


                 Extension Period................................................................................3

                 Federal Reserve.................................................................................3

                 Indenture.......................................................................................3

                 Initial Purchaser...............................................................................3

                 Institutional Trustee...........................................................................3

                 Interest Payment Date...........................................................................4

                 Interest Rate...................................................................................4

                 Investment Company Event........................................................................4

                 LIBOR...........................................................................................4

                 LIBOR Banking Day...............................................................................4

                 LIBOR Business Day..............................................................................4

                 LIBOR Determination Date........................................................................4

                 Liquidation Amount..............................................................................4

                 Maturity Date...................................................................................4

                 Notice   .......................................................................................4

                 Officers' Certificate...........................................................................4

                 Opinion of Counsel..............................................................................5

                 OTS ............................................................................................5

                 Outstanding.....................................................................................5

                 Paying Agent....................................................................................5

                 Person..........................................................................................5

                 Predecessor Security............................................................................5

                 Principal Office of the Trustee.................................................................5

                 Redemption Date.................................................................................5


                                                                 -ii-

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                                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                   (CONTINUED)

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                 Redemption Price................................................................................6

                 Responsible Officer.............................................................................6

                 Securityholder..................................................................................6

                 Senior Indebtedness.............................................................................6

                 Special Event...................................................................................6

                 Special Redemption Date.........................................................................7

                 Subsidiary......................................................................................7

                 Tax Event.......................................................................................7

                 Trust    .......................................................................................8

                 Trust Indenture Act.............................................................................8

                 Trust Securities................................................................................8

                 Trustee  .......................................................................................8

                 United States...................................................................................8

                 U.S. Person.....................................................................................8

                                                    ARTICLE II
                                                 DEBT SECURITIES

SECTION 2.01.     Authentication and Dating......................................................................8

SECTION 2.02.     Form of Trustee's Certificate of Authentication................................................9

SECTION 2.03.     Form and Denomination of Debt Securities.......................................................9

SECTION 2.04.     Execution of Debt Securities...................................................................9

SECTION 2.05.     Exchange and Registration of Transfer of Debt Securities......................................10

SECTION 2.06.     Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Debt Securities..........................................13

SECTION 2.07.     Temporary Debt Securities.....................................................................13

SECTION 2.08.     Payment of Interest...........................................................................14



                                                     -iii-

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                                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                   (CONTINUED)

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SECTION 2.09.     Cancellation of Debt Securities Paid, etc.....................................................15

SECTION 2.10.     Computation of Interest.......................................................................15

SECTION 2.11.     Extension of Interest Payment Period..........................................................17

SECTION 2.12.     CUSIP Numbers.................................................................................18

                                                     ARTICLE III
                                        PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY


SECTION 3.01.     Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest; Agreed Treatment of the Debt
                  Securities....................................................................................18

SECTION 3.02.     Offices for Notices and Payments, etc.........................................................19

SECTION 3.03.     Appointments to Fill Vacancies in Trustee's Office............................................19

SECTION 3.04.     Provision as to Paying Agent..................................................................19

SECTION 3.05.     Certificate to Trustee........................................................................20

SECTION 3.06.     Additional Interest...........................................................................21

SECTION 3.07.     Compliance with Consolidation Provisions......................................................21

SECTION 3.08.     Limitation on Dividends.......................................................................21

SECTION 3.09.     Covenants as to the Trust.....................................................................22

                                                    ARTICLE IV
                                 LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE

SECTION 4.01.     Securityholders' Lists........................................................................22

SECTION 4.02.     Preservation and Disclosure of Lists..........................................................23

                                                     ARTICLE V
                       REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS UPON AN EVENT OF DEFAULT

SECTION 5.01.     Events of Default.............................................................................24

SECTION 5.02.     Payment of Debt Securities on Default; Suit Therefor..........................................26

SECTION 5.03.     Application of Moneys Collected by Trustee....................................................28


                                                      -iv-


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                                                   (CONTINUED)

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SECTION 5.04.     Proceedings by Securityholders................................................................28

SECTION 5.05.     Proceedings by Trustee........................................................................29

SECTION 5.06.     Remedies Cumulative and Continuing............................................................29

SECTION 5.07.     Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Securityholders................29

SECTION 5.08.     Notice of Defaults............................................................................30

SECTION 5.09.     Undertaking to Pay Costs......................................................................30

                                                   ARTICLE VI
                                             CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

SECTION 6.01.      Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee........................................................31

SECTION 6.02.      Reliance on Documents, Opinions, etc..........................................................32

SECTION 6.03.      No Responsibility for Recitals, etc...........................................................33

SECTION 6.04.      Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agents, Transfer Agents or Registrar May
                   Own Debt Securities...........................................................................33

SECTION 6.05.      Moneys to be Held in Trust....................................................................33

SECTION 6.06.      Compensation and Expenses of Trustee..........................................................34

SECTION 6.07.      Officers' Certificate as Evidence.............................................................35

SECTION 6.08.      Eligibility of Trustee........................................................................35

SECTION 6.09.      Resignation or Removal of Trustee, Calculation Agent, Paying Agent or Debt
                   Security Registrar............................................................................35

SECTION 6.10.      Acceptance by Successor.......................................................................37

SECTION 6.11.      Succession by Merger, etc.....................................................................38

SECTION 6.12.      Authenticating Agents.........................................................................38

                                                   ARTICLE VII
                                         CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS

SECTION 7.01.      Action by Securityholders.....................................................................39


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                                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                   (CONTINUED)

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SECTION 7.02.      Proof of Execution by Securityholders.........................................................40

SECTION 7.03.      Who Are Deemed Absolute Owners................................................................40

SECTION 7.04.      Debt Securities Owned by Company Deemed Not Outstanding.......................................41

SECTION 7.05.      Revocation of Consents; Future Securityholders Bound..........................................41

                                                  ARTICLE VIII
                                            SECURITYHOLDERS' MEETINGS

SECTION 8.01.      Purposes of Meetings..........................................................................41

SECTION 8.02.      Call of Meetings by Trustee...................................................................42

SECTION 8.03.      Call of Meetings by Company or Securityholders................................................42

SECTION 8.04.      Qualifications for Voting.....................................................................42

SECTION 8.05.      Regulations...................................................................................43

SECTION 8.06.      Voting........................................................................................43

SECTION 8.07.      Quorum; Actions...............................................................................44

SECTION 8.08.      Written Consent Without a Meeting.............................................................44

                                                   ARTICLE IX
                                            SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

SECTION 9.01.      Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Securityholders....................................45

SECTION 9.02.      Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Securityholders.......................................46

SECTION 9.03.      Effect of Supplemental Indentures.............................................................47

SECTION 9.04.      Notation on Debt Securities...................................................................47

SECTION 9.05.      Evidence of Compliance of Supplemental Indenture to be furnished to Trustee...................48

                                                    ARTICLE X
                                            REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

SECTION 10.01.     Optional Redemption...........................................................................48

SECTION 10.02.     Special Event Redemption......................................................................48


                                                        -vi-

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                                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                   (CONTINUED)

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SECTION 10.03.     Notice of Redemption; Selection of Debt Securities............................................48

SECTION 10.04.     Payment of Debt Securities Called for Redemption..............................................49

                                                   ARTICLE XI
                                CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE AND LEASE

SECTION 11.01.     Company May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms...............................................50

SECTION 11.02.     Successor Entity to be Substituted............................................................50

SECTION 11.03.     Opinion of Counsel to be Given to Trustee.....................................................51

                                                   ARTICLE XII
                                    SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE

SECTION 12.01.     Discharge of Indenture........................................................................51

SECTION 12.02.     Deposited Moneys to be Held in Trust by Trustee...............................................52

SECTION 12.03.     Paying Agent to Repay Moneys Held.............................................................52

SECTION 12.04.     Return of Unclaimed Moneys....................................................................52

                                                  ARTICLE XIII
                         IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

SECTION 13.01.     Indenture and Debt Securities Solely Corporate Obligations....................................53

                                                  ARTICLE XIV
                                            MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SECTION 14.01.     Successors....................................................................................53

SECTION 14.02.     Official Acts by Successor Entity.............................................................53

SECTION 14.03.     Surrender of Company Powers...................................................................53

SECTION 14.04.     Addresses for Notices, etc....................................................................53

SECTION 14.05.     Governing Law.................................................................................54

SECTION 14.06.     Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent..............................................54

SECTION 14.07.     Non-Business Days.............................................................................54

SECTION 14.08.     Table of Contents, Headings, etc..............................................................55


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                                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                   (CONTINUED)

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SECTION 14.09.     Execution in Counterparts.....................................................................55

SECTION 14.10.     Severability..................................................................................55

SECTION 14.11.     Assignment....................................................................................55

SECTION 14.12.     Acknowledgment of Rights......................................................................55

                                                  ARTICLE XV
                                       SUBORDINATION OF DEBT SECURITIES

SECTION 15.01.     Agreement to Subordinate......................................................................56

SECTION 15.02.     Default on Senior Indebtedness................................................................56

SECTION 15.03.     Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy..........................................................57

SECTION 15.04.     Subrogation...................................................................................58

SECTION 15.05.     Trustee to Effectuate Subordination...........................................................59

SECTION 15.06.     Notice by the Company.........................................................................59

SECTION 15.07.     Rights of the Trustee, Holders of Senior Indebtedness.........................................60

SECTION 15.08.     Subordination May Not Be Impaired.............................................................60

EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT A          FORM OF DEBT SECURITY

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                                          -viii-

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          THIS INDENTURE, dated as of September 16, 2004, between Central
Bancorp, Inc., a bank holding company incorporated in Massachusetts (hereinafter
sometimes called the "Company"), and JPMorgan Chase Bank as trustee (hereinafter
sometimes called the "Trustee").

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

          WHEREAS, for its lawful corporate purposes, the Company has duly
authorized the issuance of its Junior Subordinated Debt Securities due December
15, 2034 (the "Debt Securities") under this Indenture and to provide, among
other things, for the execution and authentication, delivery and administration
thereof, the Company has duly authorized the execution of this Indenture.

          NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, and the purchase of
the Debt Securities by the holders thereof, the Company covenants and agrees
with the Trustee for the equal and proportionate benefit of the respective
holders from time to time of the Debt Securities as follows:

                                   ARTICLE I

                                   DEFINITIONS

        SECTION 1.01.   Definitions.
                        -----------

          The terms defined in this Section 1.01 (except as herein otherwise
expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires) for all purposes of
this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto shall have the
respective meanings specified in this Section 1.01. All accounting terms used
herein and not expressly defined shall have the meanings assigned to such terms
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and the term
"generally accepted accounting principles" means such accounting principles as
are generally accepted in the United States at the time of any computation. The
words "herein," "hereof' and "hereunder" and other words of similar import refer
to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other
subdivision.

          "Additional Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3.06.

          "Additional Provisions" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
15.01.

          "Authenticating Agent" means any agent or agents of the Trustee which
at the time shall be appointed and acting pursuant to Section 6.12.

          "Bankruptcy Law" means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or
state law for the relief of debtors.

          "Board of Directors" means the board of directors or the executive
committee or any other duly authorized designated officers of the Company.


<PAGE>


          "Board Resolution" means a copy of a resolution certified by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by
the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such
certification and delivered to the Trustee.

          "Business Day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or any
other day on which banking institutions in Wilmington, Delaware, New York City
or the city of the Principal Office of either the Trustee or the Company are
permitted or required by any applicable law or executive order to close.

          "Calculation Agent" means the Person identified as "Trustee" in the
first paragraph hereof with respect to the Debt Securities and the Institutional
Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities.

          "Capital Securities" means undivided beneficial interests in the
assets of the Trust which are designated as "TP Securities" and rank pari passu
with Common Securities issued by the Trust; provided, however, that if an Event
of Default (as defined in the Declaration) has occurred and is continuing, the
rights of holders of such Common Securities to payment in respect of
distributions and payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise are
subordinated to the rights of holders of such Capital Securities.

          "Capital Securities Guarantee" means the guarantee agreement that the
Company will enter into with JPMorgan Chase Bank or other Persons that operates
directly or indirectly for the benefit of holders of Capital Securities of the
Trust.

          "Capital Treatment Event" means, if the Company is organized and
existing under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the
District of Columbia, the receipt by the Company and the Trust of an Opinion of
Counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result of (a) any
amendment to, or change in, the laws, rules or regulations of the United States
or any political subdivision thereof or therein, or any rules, guidelines or
policies of any applicable regulatory authority for the Company or (b) any
official or administrative pronouncement or action or decision interpreting or
applying such laws, rules or regulations, which amendment or change is effective
or which pronouncement, action or decision is announced on or after the date of
original issuance of the Debt Securities, there is more than an insubstantial
risk that, within 90 days of the receipt of such opinion, the aggregate
Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities will not be eligible to be treated
by the Company as "Tier 1 Capital" (or the then equivalent thereof) for purposes
of the capital adequacy guidelines of the Federal Reserve (or any successor
regulatory authority with jurisdiction over bank or financial holding
companies), as then in effect and applicable to the Company (or if the Company
is not a bank holding company, such guidelines applied to the Company as if the
Company were subject to such guidelines); provided, however, that the inability
of the Company to treat all or any portion of the aggregate Liquidation Amount
of the Capital Securities as Tier 1 Capital shall not constitute the basis for a
Capital Treatment Event, if such inability results from the Company having
cumulative preferred stock, minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries, or
any other class of security or interest which the Federal Reserve or OTS, as
applicable, may now or hereafter accord Tier 1 Capital treatment in excess of
the amount which may now or hereafter qualify for treatment as Tier 1 Capital
under applicable capital adequacy guidelines; provided further, however, that
the distribution of the Debt Securities in connection with the liquidation of


                                      -2-

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the Trust by the Company shall not in and of itself constitute a Capital
Treatment Event unless such liquidation shall have occurred in connection with a
Tax Event or an Investment Company Event.

          "Certificate" means a certificate signed by any one of the principal
executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting
officer of the Company.

          "Common Securities" means undivided beneficial interests in the assets
of the Trust which are designated as "Common Securities" and rank pari passu
with Capital Securities issued by the Trust; provided, however, that if an Event
of Default (as defined in the Declaration) has occurred and is continuing, the
rights of holders of such Common Securities to payment in respect of
distributions and payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise are
subordinated to the rights of holders of such Capital Securities.

          "Company" means Central Bancorp, Inc., a bank holding company
incorporated in Massachusetts, and, subject to the provisions of Article XI,
shall include its successors and assigns.

          "Debt Security" or "Debt Securities" has the meaning stated in the
first recital of this Indenture.

          "Debt Security Register" has the meaning specified in Section 2.05.

          "Declaration" means the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of
the Trust dated as of September 16, 2004, as amended or supplemented from time
to time.

          "Default" means any event, act or condition that with notice or lapse
of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

          "Defaulted Interest" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.08.

          "Deferred Interest" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11.

          "Event of Default" means any event specified in Section 5.01, which
has continued for the period of time, if any, and after the giving of the
notice, if any, therein designated.

          "Extension Period" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11.

          "Federal Reserve" means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System.

          "Indenture" means this instrument as originally executed or, if
amended or supplemented as herein provided, as so amended or supplemented, or
both.

          "Initial Purchaser" means the initial purchaser of the Capital
Securities.

          "Institutional Trustee" has the meaning set forth in the Declaration.


                                      -3-

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          "Interest Payment Date" means March 15, June 15, September 15 and
December 15 of each year, commencing on December 15, 2004, during the term of
this Indenture.

          "Interest Payment Period" means the period from and including an
Interest Payment Date, or in the case of the first Interest Payment Period, the
original date of issuance of the Debt Securities, to, but excluding, the next
succeeding Interest Payment Date or, in the case of the last Interest Payment
Period, the Redemption Date, Special Redemption Date or Maturity Date, as the
case may be.

          "Interest Rate" means, with respect to any Interest Period, a per
annum rate of interest, equal to LIBOR, as determined on the LIBOR Determination
Date for such Interest Payment Date, plus 2.44%; provided, however, that the
Interest Rate for any Interest Payment Period may not exceed the highest rate
permitted by New York law, as the same may be modified by United States law of
general application.

          "Investment Company Event" means the receipt by the Company and the
Trust of an Opinion of Counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that,
as a result of a change in law or regulation or written change in interpretation
or application of law or regulation by any legislative body, court, governmental
agency or regulatory authority, there is more than an insubstantial risk that
the Trust is or, within 90 days of the date of such opinion will be, considered
an "investment company" that is required to be registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, which change or prospective change becomes
effective or would become effective, as the case may be, on or after the date of
the original issuance of the Debt Securities.

          "LIBOR" means the London Interbank Offered Rate for U.S. Dollar
deposits in Europe as determined by the Calculation Agent according to Section
2.10(b).

          "LIBOR Banking Day" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(b)(1).

          "LIBOR Business Day" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(b)(1).

          "LIBOR Determination Date" has the meaning set forth in Section
2.10(b).

          "Liquidation Amount" means the liquidation amount of $1,000 per Trust
Security.

          "Maturity Date" means December 15, 2034.

          "Notice" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11.

          "Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the Chairman of
the Board, the Vice Chairman, the President or any Vice President, and by the
Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Comptroller,
an Assistant Comptroller, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the
Company, and delivered to the Trustee. Each such certificate shall include the
statements provided for in Section 14.06 if and to the extent required by the
provisions of such Section.


                                      -4-

<PAGE>


          "Opinion of Counsel" means an opinion in writing signed by legal
counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel to the Company, or may be other
counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee. Each such opinion shall include
the statements provided for in Section 14.06 if and to the extent required by
the provisions of such Section.

          "OTS" means the Office of Thrift Supervision and any successor federal
agency that is primarily responsible for regulating the activities of savings
and loan holding companies.

          "Outstanding" means, when used with reference to Debt Securities,
subject to the provisions of Section 7.04, as of any particular time, all Debt
Securities authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or the Authenticating
Agent under this Indenture, except


          (a) Debt Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or the
Authenticating Agent or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

          (b) Debt Securities, or portions thereof, for the payment or
redemption of which moneys in the necessary amount shall have been deposited in
trust with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent (other than the Company) or
shall have been set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company
shall act as its own Paying Agent); provided, that, if such Debt Securities, or
portions thereof, are to be redeemed prior to maturity thereof, notice of such
redemption shall have been given as provided in Articles X and XIV or provision
satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made for giving such notice; and

          (c) Debt Securities paid pursuant to Section 2.06 or in lieu of or in
substitution for which other Debt Securities shall have been authenticated and
delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.06 unless proof satisfactory to the
Company and the Trustee is presented that any such Debt Securities are held by
bona fide holders in due course.

          "Paying Agent" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04(e).

          "Person" means any individual, corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust,
unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision
thereof.

          "Predecessor Security" of any particular Debt Security means every
previous Debt Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that
evidenced by such particular Debt Security; and, for the purposes of this
definition, any Debt Security authenticated and delivered under Section 2.06 in
lieu of a lost, destroyed or stolen Debt Security shall be deemed to evidence
the same debt as the lost, destroyed or stolen Debt Security.

          "Principal Office of the Trustee" means the office of the Trustee, at
which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally
administered, which at all times shall be located within the United States and
at the time of the execution of this Indenture shall be 600 Travis Street, 50th
Floor, Houston, Texas 77002.

          "Redemption Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 10.01.


                                      -5-

<PAGE>



          "Redemption Price" means 100% of the principal amount of the Debt
Securities being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest on such Debt
Securities to the Redemption Date.

          "Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Trustee, any officer
within the Principal Office of the Trustee with direct responsibility for the
administration of the Indenture, including any vice-president, any assistant
vice-president, any secretary, any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any
assistant treasurer, any trust officer or other officer of the Principal Office
of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by
any of the above designated officers and also means, with respect to a
particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is
referred because of that officer's knowledge of and familiarity with the
particular subject.

          "Securityholder," "holder of Debt Securities" or other similar terms,
means any Person in whose name at the time a particular Debt Security is
registered on the Debt Security Register.

          "Senior Indebtedness" means, with respect to the Company, (i) the
principal, premium, if any, and interest in respect of (A) indebtedness of the
Company for money borrowed and (B) indebtedness evidenced by securities,
debentures, notes, bonds or other similar instruments issued by the Company;
(ii) all capital lease obligations of the Company; (iii) all obligations of the
Company issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all
conditional sale obligations of the Company and all obligations of the Company
under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable
arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of the Company
for the reimbursement of any letter of credit, any banker's acceptance, any
security purchase facility, any repurchase agreement or similar arrangement, any
interest rate swap, any other hedging arrangement, any obligation under options
or any similar credit or other transaction; (v) all obligations of the type
referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) above of other Persons for the payment
of which the Company is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or
otherwise; and (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i)
through (v) above of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset
of the Company (whether or not such obligation is assumed by the Company),
whether incurred on or prior to the date of this Indenture or thereafter
incurred, unless, with the prior approval of the Federal Reserve if not
otherwise generally approved, it is provided in the instrument creating or
evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding, that such
obligations are not superior or are pari passu in right of payment to the Debt
Securities; provided, however, that Senior Indebtedness shall not include (A)
any debt securities issued to any trust other than the Trust (or a trustee of
such trust) that is a financing vehicle of the Company (a "financing entity"),
in connection with the issuance by such financing entity of equity or other
securities in transactions substantially similar in structure to the
transactions contemplated hereunder and in the Declaration, (B) any guarantees
of the Company in respect of the equity or other securities of any financing
entity referred to in clause (A) above or (C) any other instruments allowed as
subordinated securities for purposes of the Debt Securities by the Federal
Reserve from time to time hereafter.

          "Special Event" means any of a Tax Event, an Investment Company Event
or a Capital Treatment Event.



                                      -6-

<PAGE>



          "Special Redemption Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 10.02.

          "Special Redemption Price" means, with respect to the redemption of
any Debt Security following a Special Event, an amount in cash equal to 103.525%
of the principal amount of Debt Securities to be redeemed prior to December 15,
2005 and thereafter equal to the percentage of the principal amount of the Debt
Securities that is specified below for the Special Redemption Date plus, in each
case, unpaid interest accrued thereon to the Special Redemption Date:

         Special Redemption During the
         -----------------------------
    12-Month Period Beginning December 15      Percentage of Principal Amount
    -------------------------------------      ------------------------------

                  2005                                     103.140%
                  2006                                     102.355%
                  2007                                     101.570%
                  2008                                     100.785%
          2009 and thereafter                              100.000%

         "Subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person, (i) any corporation, at
least a majority of the outstanding voting stock of which is owned, directly or
indirectly, by such Person or by one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such
Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries, (ii) any general partnership, joint
venture or similar entity, at least a majority of the outstanding partnership or
similar interests of which shall at the time be owned by such Person, or by one
or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such Person and one or more of its
Subsidiaries, and (iii) any limited partnership of which such Person or any of
its Subsidiaries is a general partner. For the purposes of this definition,
"voting stock" means shares, interests, participations or other equivalents in
the equity interest (however designated) in such Person having ordinary voting
power for the election of a majority of the directors (or the equivalent) of
such Person, other than shares, interests, participations or other equivalents
having such power only by reason of the occurrence of a contingency.

          "Tax Event" means the receipt by the Company and the Trust of an
Opinion of Counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result
of any amendment to or change (including any announced prospective change) in
the laws or any regulations thereunder of the United States or any political
subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein, or as a result of any
official administrative pronouncement (including any private letter ruling,
technical advice memorandum, regulatory procedure, notice or announcement (an
"Administrative Action")) or judicial decision interpreting or applying such
laws or regulations, regardless of whether such Administrative Action or
judicial decision is issued to or in connection with a proceeding involving the
Company or the Trust and whether or not subject to review or appeal, which
amendment, clarification, change, Administrative Action or decision is enacted,
promulgated or announced, in each case on or after the date of original issuance
of the Debt Securities, there is more than an insubstantial risk that: (i) the
Trust is, or will be within 90 days of the date of such opinion, subject to
United States federal income tax with respect to income received or accrued on
the Debt Securities; (ii) interest payable by the Company on the Debt Securities
is not, or within 90 days of the date of such opinion, will not be, deductible
by the Company, in whole or in part, for United States federal income tax
purposes; or (iii) the Trust is, or will be within 90



                                      -7-

<PAGE>


days of the date of such opinion, subject to or otherwise required to pay, or
required to withhold from distributions to holders of Trust Securities, more
than a de minimis amount of other taxes (including withholding taxes), duties,
assessments or other governmental charges.

          "Trust" means Central Bancorp Capital Trust I, the Delaware statutory
trust, or any other similar trust created for the purpose of issuing Capital
Securities in connection with the issuance of Debt Securities under this
Indenture, of which the Company is the sponsor.

          "Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended from time-to-time, or any successor legislation.

          "Trust Securities" means Common Securities and Capital Securities of
Central Bancorp Capital Trust I.

          "Trustee" means the Person identified as "Trustee" in the first
paragraph hereof, and, subject to the provisions of Article VI hereof, shall
also include its successors and assigns as Trustee hereunder.

          "United States" means the United States of America and the District of
Columbia.
          "U.S. Person" has the meaning given to United States Person as set
forth in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

                                   ARTICLE II

                                 DEBT SECURITIES

        SECTION 2.01.  Authentication and Dating.
                       -------------------------

          Upon the execution and delivery of this Indenture, or from time to
time thereafter, Debt Securities in an aggregate principal amount not in excess
of $5,258,000 may be executed and delivered by the Company to the Trustee for
authentication, and the Trustee shall thereupon authenticate and make available
for delivery said Debt Securities to or upon the written order of the Company,
signed by its Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman, President or
Chief Financial Officer or one of its Vice Presidents, without any further
action by the Company hereunder. In authenticating such Debt Securities, and
accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to
such Debt Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to
Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon a copy of any Board
Resolution or Board Resolutions relating thereto and, if applicable, an
appropriate record of any action taken pursuant to such resolution, in each case
certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or other officers with
appropriate delegated authority of the Company as the case may be.

          The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and
deliver any Debt Securities under this Section if the Trustee, being advised by
counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or if a
Responsible Officer of the Trustee in good faith shall determine that such
action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing
Securityholders. The Trustee shall also be entitled to receive an opinion of
counsel to the effect that (1) all conditions


                                      -8-

<PAGE>


precedent to the execution, delivery and authentication of the Securities have
been complied with; (2) the Securities are not required to be registered under
the Securities Act; and (3) the Indenture is not required to be qualified under
the Trust Indenture Act.

          The definitive Debt Securities shall be typed, printed, lithographed
or engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner,
all as determined by the officers executing such Debt Securities, as evidenced
by their execution of such Debt Securities.

        SECTION 2.02. Form of Trustee's Certificate of Authentication.
                      -----------------------------------------------

          The Trustee's certificate of authentication on all Debt Securities
shall be in substantially the following form:

          This is one of the Debt Securities referred to in the within-mentioned
Indenture.

          JPMorgan Chase Bank, not in its individual capacity but solely as
Trustee

                                 By
                                    -----------------------------------------
                                              Authorized Signatory

        SECTION 2.03. Form and Denomination of Debt Securities.
                      ----------------------------------------

          The Debt Securities shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A
hereto. The Debt Securities shall be in registered, certificated form without
coupons and in minimum denominations of $100,000 and any multiple of $1,000 in
excess thereof. The Debt Securities shall be numbered, lettered, or otherwise
distinguished in such manner or in accordance with such plans as the officers
executing the same may determine with the approval of the Trustee as evidenced
by the execution and authentication thereof.

        SECTION 2.04. Execution of Debt Securities.
                      ----------------------------

          The Debt Securities shall be signed in the name and on behalf of the
Company by the manual or facsimile signature of any of its Chairman of the Board
of Directors, Vice Chairman, President or Chief Financial Officer or one of its
Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents or Vice Presidents, under its
corporate seal (if legally required), which may be affixed thereto or printed,
engraved or otherwise reproduced thereon, by facsimile or otherwise, and which
need not be attested. Only such Debt Securities as shall bear thereon a
certificate of authentication substantially in the form herein before recited,
executed by the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of
an authorized officer, shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture or be
valid or obligatory for any purpose. Such certificate by the Trustee or the
Authenticating Agent upon any Debt Security executed by the Company shall be
conclusive evidence that the Debt Security so authenticated has been duly
authenticated and delivered hereunder and that the holder is entitled to the
benefits of this Indenture.

          In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the
Debt Securities shall cease to be such officer before the Debt Securities so
signed shall have been authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or the
Authenticating Agent, or disposed of by the Company, such Debt Securities
nevertheless may be authenticated and delivered or disposed of


                                      -9-

<PAGE>


as though the Person who signed such Debt Securities had not ceased to be such
officer of the Company; and any Debt Security may be signed on behalf of the
Company by such Persons as, at the actual date of the execution of such Debt
Security, shall be the proper officers of the Company, although at the date of
the execution of this Indenture any such person was not such an officer.

          Every Debt Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

        SECTION 2.05. Exchange and Registration of Transfer of Debt Securities.
                      --------------------------------------------------------

          The Company shall cause to be kept, at the office or agency maintained
for the purpose of registration of transfer and for exchange as provided in
Section 3.02, a register (the "Debt Security Register") for the Debt Securities
issued hereunder in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may
prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration and transfer of all
Debt Securities as provided in this Article II. Such register shall be in
written form or in any other form capable of being converted into written form
within a reasonable time.

          Debt Securities to be exchanged may be surrendered at the Principal
Office of the Trustee or at any office or agency to be maintained by the Company
for such purpose as provided in Section 3.02, and the Company shall execute, the
Company or the Trustee shall register and the Trustee or the Authenticating
Agent shall authenticate and make available for delivery in exchange therefor
the Debt Security or Debt Securities which the Securityholder making the
exchange shall be entitled to receive. Upon due presentment for registration of
transfer of any Debt Security at the Principal Office of the Trustee or at any
office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose as provided in
Section 3.02, the Company shall execute, the Company or the Trustee shall
register and the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent shall authenticate and make
available for delivery in the name of the transferee or transferees a new Debt
Security for a like aggregate principal amount. Registration or registration of
transfer of any Debt Security by the Trustee or by any agent of the Company
appointed pursuant to Section 3.02, and delivery of such Debt Security, shall be
deemed to complete the registration or registration of transfer of such Debt
Security.

          All Debt Securities presented for registration of transfer or for
exchange or payment shall (if so required by the Company or the Trustee or the
Authenticating Agent) be duly endorsed by, or be accompanied by, a written
instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and
either the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent duly executed by, the holder or
such holder's attorney duly authorized in writing.

          No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of
transfer of Debt Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment
of a sum sufficient to cover any tax, fee or other governmental charge that may
be imposed in connection therewith.

          The Company or the Trustee shall not be required to exchange or
register a transfer of any Debt Security for a period of 15 days immediately
preceding the date of selection of Debt Securities for redemption.

          Notwithstanding the foregoing, Debt Securities may not be transferred
except in compliance with the restricted securities legend set forth below,
unless otherwise determined by


                                      -10-

<PAGE>


the Company in accordance with applicable law, which legend shall be placed on
each Debt Security:

          THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF
1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR ANY
OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR
PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED,
ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR
UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS
ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY ONLY
(A) TO THE COMPANY, (B) PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT ("RULE
144A") TO A PERSON THE HOLDER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A "QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL
BUYER" AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE
ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE
TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (C) TO A "NON U.S. PERSON" IN
AN "OFFSHORE TRANSACTION" PURSUANT TO REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (D)
PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES
ACT TO AN "ACCREDITED INVESTOR" WITHIN THE MEANING OF SUBPARAGRAPH (a) (1), (2),
(3) OR (7) OF RULE 501 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT IS ACQUIRING THE SECURITY
FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF SUCH AN "ACCREDITED INVESTOR," FOR
INVESTMENT PURPOSES AND NOT WITH A VIEW TO, OR FOR OFFER OR SALE IN CONNECTION
WITH, ANY DISTRIBUTION IN VIOLATION OF THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (E) PURSUANT TO
ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES
ACT, SUBJECT TO THE COMPANY'S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER
PURSUANT TO CLAUSES (D) OR (E) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL,
CERTIFICATION AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO IT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
INDENTURE, A COPY OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE COMPANY. THE HOLDER OF THIS
SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES THAT IT WILL COMPLY WITH THE FOREGOING
RESTRICTIONS.

          THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES,
REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT IT WILL NOT ENGAGE IN HEDGING TRANSACTIONS
INVOLVING THIS SECURITY UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTIONS ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE
SECURITIES ACT.

          THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF ALSO AGREES,
REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT IT IS NOT AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT, INDIVIDUAL
RETIREMENT ACCOUNT OR OTHER PLAN OR ARRANGEMENT SUBJECT TO TITLE I OF THE
EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED ("ERISA"), OR
SECTION 4975 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE "CODE"),
(EACH A "PLAN"), OR AN ENTITY



                                      -11-

<PAGE>


WHOSE UNDERLYING ASSETS INCLUDE "PLAN ASSETS" BY REASON OF ANY PLAN'S INVESTMENT
IN THE ENTITY AND NO PERSON INVESTING "PLAN ASSETS" OF ANY PLAN MAY ACQUIRE OR
HOLD THIS SECURITY OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN, UNLESS SUCH PURCHASER OR HOLDER IS
ELIGIBLE FOR THE EXEMPTIVE RELIEF AVAILABLE UNDER U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
PROHIBITED TRANSACTION CLASS EXEMPTION 96-23, 95-60, 91-38, 90-1 OR 84-14 OR
ANOTHER APPLICABLE EXEMPTION OR ITS PURCHASE AND HOLDING OF THIS SECURITY IS NOT
PROHIBITED BY SECTION 406 OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE WITH RESPECT TO
SUCH PURCHASE OR HOLDING. ANY PURCHASER OR HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY OR ANY
INTEREST THEREIN WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED BY ITS PURCHASE AND HOLDING
THEREOF THAT EITHER (i) IT IS NOT AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN WITHIN THE MEANING OF
SECTION 3(3) OF ERISA, OR A PLAN TO WHICH SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE IS
APPLICABLE, A TRUSTEE OR OTHER PERSON ACTING ON BEHALF OF AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT
PLAN OR PLAN, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY USING THE ASSETS OF ANY EMPLOYEE
BENEFIT PLAN OR PLAN TO FINANCE SUCH PURCHASE, OR (ii) SUCH PURCHASE WILL NOT
RESULT IN A PROHIBITED TRANSACTION UNDER SECTION 406 OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF
THE CODE FOR WHICH THERE IS NO APPLICABLE STATUTORY OR ADMINISTRATIVE EXEMPTION.

          IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER, THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY WILL
DELIVER TO THE COMPANY AND TRUSTEE SUCH CERTIFICATES AND OTHER INFORMATION AS
MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE INDENTURE TO CONFIRM THAT THE TRANSFER COMPLIES WITH THE
FOREGOING RESTRICTIONS.

          THIS SECURITY WILL BE ISSUED AND MAY BE TRANSFERRED ONLY IN BLOCKS
HAVING A PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOT LESS THAN $100,000 AND MULTIPLES OF $1,000 IN
EXCESS THEREOF. ANY ATTEMPTED TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IN A BLOCK HAVING A
PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF LESS THAN $100,000 SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE VOID AND OF NO
LEGAL EFFECT WHATSOEVER. ANY SUCH PURPORTED TRANSFEREE SHALL BE DEEMED NOT TO BE
THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY FOR ANY PURPOSE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
RECEIPT OF DISTRIBUTIONS ON THIS SECURITY, AND SUCH PURPORTED TRANSFEREE SHALL
BE DEEMED TO HAVE NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER IN THIS SECURITY.

          THIS OBLIGATION IS NOT A DEPOSIT AND IS NOT INSURED BY THE UNITED
STATES OR ANY AGENCY OR FUND OF THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT
INSURANCE CORPORATION. THIS OBLIGATION IS SUBORDINATED TO THE CLAIMS OF
DEPOSITORS AND THE CLAIMS OF GENERAL AND SECURED CREDITORS OF THE COMPANY, IS
INELIGIBLE AS COLLATERAL FOR A LOAN BY THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES
AND IS NOT SECURED.


                                      -12-

<PAGE>



        SECTION 2.06. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Debt Securities.
                      ----------------------------------------------------

          In case any Debt Security shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost
or stolen, the Company shall execute, and upon its written request the Trustee
shall authenticate and deliver, a new Debt Security bearing a number not
contemporaneously outstanding, in exchange and substitution for the mutilated
Debt Security, or in lieu of and in substitution for the Debt Security so
destroyed, lost or stolen. In every case the applicant for a substituted Debt
Security shall furnish to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity
as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, and, in every case of
destruction, loss or theft, the applicant shall also furnish to the Company and
the Trustee evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of
such Debt Security and of the ownership thereof.

          The Trustee may authenticate any such substituted Debt Security and
deliver the same upon the written request or authorization of any officer of the
Company. Upon the issuance of any substituted Debt Security, the Company may
require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses connected
therewith. In case any Debt Security which has matured or is about to mature or
has been called for redemption in full shall become mutilated or be destroyed,
lost or stolen, the Company may, instead of issuing a substitute Debt Security,
pay or authorize the payment of the same (without surrender thereof except in
the case of a mutilated Debt Security) if the applicant for such payment shall
furnish to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be
required by them to save each of them harmless and, in case of destruction, loss
or theft, evidence satisfactory to the Company and to the Trustee of the
destruction, loss or theft of such Security and of the ownership thereof.

          Every substituted Debt Security issued pursuant to the provisions of
this Section 2.06 by virtue of the fact that any such Debt Security is
destroyed, lost or stolen shall constitute an additional contractual obligation
of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security shall
be found at any time, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this
Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Debt Securities
duly issued hereunder. All Debt Securities shall be held and owned upon the
express condition that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the foregoing
provisions are exclusive with respect to the replacement or payment of
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Securities and shall preclude any and
all other rights or remedies notwithstanding any law or statute existing or
hereafter enacted to the contrary with respect to the replacement or payment of
negotiable instruments or other securities without their surrender.

        SECTION 2.07. Temporary Debt Securities.
                      -------------------------

          Pending the preparation of definitive Debt Securities, the Company may
execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery
temporary Debt Securities that are typed, printed or lithographed. Temporary
Debt Securities shall be issuable in any authorized denomination, and
substantially in the form of the definitive Debt Securities but with such
omissions, insertions and variations as may be appropriate for temporary Debt
Securities, all as may be determined by the Company. Every such temporary Debt
Security shall be executed by the Company and be authenticated by the Trustee
upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with the same
effect, as the definitive Debt Securities. Without



                                      -13-

<PAGE>


unreasonable delay, the Company will execute and deliver to the Trustee or the
Authenticating Agent definitive Debt Securities and thereupon any or all
temporary Debt Securities may be surrendered in exchange therefor, at the
Principal Office of the Trustee or at any office or agency maintained by the
Company for such purpose as provided in Section 3.02, and the Trustee or the
Authenticating Agent shall authenticate and make available for delivery in
exchange for such temporary Debt Securities a like aggregate principal amount of
such definitive Debt Securities. Such exchange shall be made by the Company at
its own expense and without any charge therefor except that in case of any such
exchange involving a registration of transfer the Company may require payment of
a sum sufficient to cover any tax, fee or other governmental charge that may be
imposed in relation thereto. Until so exchanged, the temporary Debt Securities
shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as
definitive Debt Securities authenticated and delivered hereunder.

        SECTION 2.08. Payment of Interest.
                      -------------------

          Each Debt Security will bear interest at the then applicable Interest
Rate from and including each Interest Payment Date or, in the case of the first
Interest Payment Period, the original date of issuance of such Debt Security to,
but excluding, the next succeeding Interest Payment Date or, in the case of the
last Interest Payment Period, the Redemption Date, Special Redemption Date or
Maturity Date, as applicable, on the principal thereof, on any overdue principal
and (to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable
law) on Deferred Interest and on any overdue installment of interest (including
Defaulted Interest), payable (subject to the provisions of Article XII) on each
Interest Payment Date commencing on December 15, 2004. Interest and any Deferred
Interest on any Debt Security that is payable, and is punctually paid or duly
provided for by the Company, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the
Person in whose name said Debt Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities)
is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such
interest installment, except that interest and any Deferred Interest payable on
the Maturity Date shall be paid to the Person to whom principal is paid. In the
event that any Debt Security or portion thereof is called for redemption and the
redemption date is subsequent to a regular record date with respect to any
Interest Payment Date and either on or prior to such Interest Payment Date,
interest on such Debt Security will be paid upon presentation and surrender of
such Debt Security.

          Any interest on any Debt Security, other than Deferred Interest, that
is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for by the Company, on
any Interest Payment Date (herein called "Defaulted Interest") shall forthwith
cease to be payable to the registered holder on the relevant regular record date
by virtue of having been such holder, and such Defaulted Interest shall be paid
by the Company to the Persons in whose names such Debt Securities (or their
respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a
special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be
fixed in the following manner: the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing
of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each such Debt
Security and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company
shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount
proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make
arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to
the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust
for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this
clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a special record date for the



                                      -14-

<PAGE>


payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall not be more than fifteen nor less
than ten days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than ten
days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The
Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such special record date and, in
the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed
payment of such Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor to be
mailed, first class postage prepaid, to each Securityholder at his or her
address as it appears in the Debt Security Register, not less than ten days
prior to such special record date. Notice of the proposed payment of such
Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor having been mailed as
aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names
such Debt Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered
on such special record date and thereafter the Company shall have no further
payment obligation in respect of the Defaulted Interest.

          Any interest scheduled to become payable on an Interest Payment Date
occurring during an Extension Period shall not be Defaulted Interest and shall
be payable on such other date as may be specified in the terms of such Debt
Securities.

          The term "regular record date" as used in this Section shall mean the
seventh day prior to the applicable Interest Payment Date whether or not such
date is a Business Day.

          Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section, each Debt
Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in
exchange for or in lieu of any other Debt Security shall carry the rights to
interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, that were carried by such other Debt
Security.

        SECTION 2.09. Cancellation of Debt Securities Paid, etc.
                      ------------------------------------------

          All Debt Securities surrendered for the purpose of payment,
redemption, exchange or registration of transfer, shall, if surrendered to the
Company or any Paying Agent, be surrendered to the Trustee and promptly canceled
by it, or, if surrendered to the Trustee, shall be promptly canceled by it, and
no Debt Securities shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by any of the provisions of this Indenture. The Trustee shall dispose of all
canceled Debt Securities in accordance with its customary practices, unless the
Company otherwise directs the Trustee in writing, in which case the Trustee
shall dispose of such Debt Securities as directed by the Company. If the Company
shall acquire any of the Debt Securities, however, such acquisition shall not
operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such
Debt Securities unless and until the same are surrendered to the Trustee for
cancellation.

        SECTION 2.10. Computation of Interest.
                      -----------------------

                (a)     The amount of interest payable for any Interest Payment
Period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of
days elapsed in the relevant interest period; provided, however, that upon the
occurrence of a Special Event Redemption pursuant to Section 10.02 the amounts
payable pursuant to this Indenture shall be calculated as set forth in the
definition of Special Redemption Price.


                                      -15-

<PAGE>


                (b)      LIBOR, for any Interest Payment Period, shall be
determined by the Calculation Agent in accordance with the following provisions:

                        (1)     On the second  LIBOR  Business  Day  (provided,
                 that on such day commercial banks are open for business
                 (including dealings in foreign currency deposits) in London (a
                 "LIBOR Banking Day"), and otherwise the next preceding LIBOR
                 Business Day that is also a LIBOR Banking Day) prior to March
                 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15 (or, with respect to
                 the first Interest Payment Period, on September 16, 2004) (each
                 such day, a "LIBOR Determination Date" for the following
                 Interest Payment Period), the Calculation Agent shall obtain
                 the rate for three-month U.S. Dollar deposits in Europe, which
                 appears on Telerate Page 3750 (as defined in the International
                 Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. 2000 Interest Rate and
                 Currency Exchange Definitions) or such other page as may
                 replace such Telerate Page 3750 on the Moneyline Telerate, Inc.
                 service (or such other service or services as may be nominated
                 by the British Banker's Association as the information vendor
                 for the purpose of displaying London Interbank offered rates
                 for U.S. dollar deposits), as of 11:00 a.m. (London time) on
                 such LIBOR Determination Date, and the rate so obtained shall
                 be LIBOR for such Interest Payment Period. "LIBOR Business Day"
                 means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on
                 which commercial banking institutions in The City of New York
                 or Wilmington, Delaware are authorized or obligated by law or
                 executive order to be closed. If such rate is superseded on
                 Telerate Page 3750 by a corrected rate before 12:00 noon
                 (London time) on the same LIBOR Determination Date, the
                 corrected rate as so substituted will be LIBOR for that
                 Interest Payment Period.

                        (2)     If, on any LIBOR  Determination  Date,  such
                 rate does not appear on Telerate Page 3750 or such other page
                 as may replace such Telerate Page 3750 on the Moneyline
                 Telerate, Inc. service (or such other service or services as
                 may be nominated by the British Banker's Association as the
                 information vendor for the purpose of displaying London
                 Interbank offered rates for U.S. dollar deposits), the
                 Calculation Agent shall determine the arithmetic mean of the
                 offered quotations of the Reference Banks (as defined below) to
                 leading banks in the London Interbank market for three-month
                 U.S. Dollar deposits in Europe (in an amount determined by the
                 Calculation Agent) by reference to requests for quotations as
                 of approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the LIBOR
                 Determination Date made by the Calculation Agent to the
                 Reference Banks. If, on any LIBOR Determination Date, at least
                 two of the Reference Banks provide such quotations, LIBOR shall
                 equal the arithmetic mean of such quotations. If, on any LIBOR
                 Determination Date, only one or none of the Reference Banks
                 provide such a quotation, LIBOR shall be deemed to be the
                 arithmetic mean of the offered quotations that at least two
                 leading banks in the City of New York (as selected by the
                 Calculation Agent) are quoting on the relevant LIBOR
                 Determination Date for three-month U.S. Dollar deposits in
                 Europe at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) (in an amount
                 determined by the Calculation Agent). As used herein,
                 "Reference Banks" means four major banks in the London
                 Interbank market selected by the Calculation Agent.


                                      -16-

<PAGE>


                        (3)    If the Calculation Agent is required but is
                 unable to determine a rate in accordance with at least one of
                 the procedures provided above, LIBOR for the applicable
                 Interest Payment Period shall be LIBOR in effect for the
                 immediately preceding Interest Payment Period.

                 (c)     All percentages resulting from any calculations on the
Debt Securities will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one
hundred-thousandth of a percentage point, with five one-millionths of a
percentage point rounded upward (e.g., 9.876545% (or .09876545) being rounded to
9.87655% (or .0987655)), and all dollar amounts used in or resulting from such
calculation will be rounded to the nearest cent (with one-half cent being
rounded upward).

                  (d)     On each LIBOR Determination Date, the Calculation
Agent shall notify, in writing, the Company and the Paying Agent of the
applicable Interest Rate in effect for the related Interest Payment Period. The
Calculation Agent shall, upon the request of the holder of any Debt Securities,
provide the Interest Rate then in effect. All calculations made by the
Calculation Agent in the absence of manifest error shall be conclusive for all
purposes and binding on the Company and the Holders of the Debt Securities. The
Paying Agent shall be entitled to rely on information received from the
Calculation Agent or the Company as to the Interest Rate. The Company shall,
from time to time, provide any necessary information to the Paying Agent
relating to any original issue discount and interest on the Debt Securities that
is included in any payment and reportable for taxable income calculation
purposes.

        SECTION 2.11.  Extension of Interest Payment Period.
                       ------------------------------------

          As long as it is acting in good faith, the Company shall have the
right, from time to time and without causing an Event of Default, to defer
payments of interest on the Debt Securities by extending the interest
distribution period on the Debt Securities at any time and from time to time
during the term of the Debt Securities, for up to twenty consecutive quarterly
periods (each such extended interest distribution period, an "Extension
Period"), during which Extension Period no interest shall be due and payable
(except any Additional Interest that may be due and payable). No Extension
Period may end on a date other than an Interest Payment Date or extend beyond
the Maturity Date, any Redemption Date or any Special Redemption Date, as the
case may be. During any Extension Period, interest will continue to accrue on
the Debt Securities, and interest on such accrued interest (such accrued
interest and interest thereon referred to herein as "Deferred Interest") will
accrue at an annual rate equal to the Interest Rate applicable during such
Extension Period, compounded quarterly from the date such Deferred Interest
would have been payable were it not for the Extension Period, to the extent
permitted by law. No interest or Deferred Interest shall be due and payable
during an Extension Period, except at the end thereof. At the end of any such
Extension Period the Company shall pay all Deferred Interest then accrued and
unpaid on the Debt Securities; provided, however, that no Extension Period may
extend beyond the Maturity Date; and provided further, however, that during any
such Extension Period, the Company shall be subject to the restrictions set
forth in Section 3.08 of this Indenture. Prior to the termination of any
Extension Period, the Company may further extend such period, provided, that
such period together with all such previous and further consecutive extensions
thereof shall not exceed twenty consecutive quarterly periods, or extend beyond
the Maturity Date. Upon the termination of any Extension Period and upon the
payment of all Deferred Interest, the Company may commence a new Extension
Period, subject to the


                                      -17-

<PAGE>


foregoing requirements. The Company must give the Trustee notice of its election
to begin such Extension Period ("Notice") not later than the related regular
record date. The Notice shall describe, in reasonable detail, why the Company
has elected to begin an Extension Period. The Notice shall acknowledge and
affirm the Company's understanding that it is prohibited from issuing dividends
and other distributions during the Extension Period. Upon receipt of the Notice,
an Initial Purchaser shall have the right, at its sole discretion, to disclose
the name of the Company, the fact that the Company has elected to begin an
Extension Period and other information that such Initial Purchaser, at its sole
discretion, deems relevant to the Company's election to begin an Extension
Period. The Trustee shall give notice of the Company's election to begin a new
Extension Period to the Securityholders.

        SECTION 2.12. CUSIP Numbers.
                      -------------

          The Company in issuing the Debt Securities may use a "CUSIP" number
(if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use a "CUSIP" number
in notices of redemption as a convenience to Securityholders; provided, that any
such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of
such number either as printed on the Debt Securities or as contained in any
notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other
identification numbers printed on the Debt Securities, and any such redemption
shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company
will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the CUSIP number.

                                  ARTICLE III

                       PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

        SECTION 3.01.  Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest; Agreed
                       --------------------------------------------------
Treatment of the Debt Securities.
--------------------------------

          (a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will duly and punctually
pay or cause to be paid all payments due on the Debt Securities at the place, at
the respective times and in the manner provided in this Indenture and the Debt
Securities. At the option of the Company, each installment of interest on the
Debt Securities may be paid (i) by mailing checks for such interest payable to
the order of the holders of Debt Securities entitled thereto as they appear on
the Debt Security Register or (ii) by wire transfer to any account with a
banking institution located in the United States designated by such holders to
the Paying Agent no later than the related record date. Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary contained in this Indenture or any Debt Security, if the Trust
or the Trustee of the Trust is the holder of any Debt Security, then all
payments in respect of such Debt Security shall be made by the Company in
immediately available funds when due.

          (b) The Company will treat the Debt Securities as indebtedness, and
the interest payable in respect of such Debt Securities as interest, for all
U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a condition to the payment of any principal
of or interest on any Debt Security without the imposition of withholding tax,
the Company shall require the previous delivery of properly completed and signed
applicable U.S. federal income tax certifications (generally, an Internal
Revenue Service Form W-9 (or applicable successor form) in the case of a Person
that is


                                      -18-

<PAGE>


a U.S. Person or an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8 (or applicable successor
form) in the case of a Person that is not a U.S. Person and any other
certification acceptable to it to enable the Company and the Trustee to
determine their respective duties and liabilities with respect to any taxes or
other charges that they may be required to pay or withhold in respect of such
Debt Security or the holder of such Debt Security under any present or future
law or regulation of the United States or any political subdivision thereof or
taxing authority therein or to comply with any reporting or other requirements
under any such law or regulation.

          (c) As of the date of this Indenture, the Company represents that it
has no intention to exercise its right under Section 2.11 to defer payments of
interest on the Debt Securities by commencing an Extension Period.

SECTION 3.02.     Offices for Notices and Payments, etc.
                  --------------------------------------

          So long as any of the Debt Securities remain outstanding, the Company
will maintain in New York, New York an office or agency where the Debt
Securities may be presented for payment, an office or agency where the Debt
Securities may be presented for registration of transfer and for exchange as
provided in this Indenture and an office or agency where notices and demands to
or upon the Company in respect of the Debt Securities or of this Indenture may
be served. The Company hereby appoints the Trustee at ITS Unit Trust Window, 4
New York Plaza, Ground Floor, New York, New York 10004, attention: ITS (Houston)
- Central Bancorp Capital Trust I as such office or agency. In case the Company
shall fail to maintain any such office or agency in New York, New York or shall
fail to give such notice of the location or of any change in the location
thereof, presentations and demands may be made and notices may be served at the
Principal Office of the Trustee.

          In addition to any such office or agency, the Company may from time to
time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Debt Securities
may be presented for registration of transfer and for exchange in the manner
provided in this Indenture, and the Company may from time to time rescind such
designation, as the Company may deem desirable or expedient; provided, however,
that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company
of its obligation to maintain any such office or agency in New York, New York
for the purposes above mentioned. The Company will give to the Trustee prompt
written notice of any such designation or rescission thereof.

        SECTION 3.03.  Appointments to Fill Vacancies in Trustee's Office.
                       --------------------------------------------------

          The Company, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the
office of Trustee, will appoint, in the manner provided in Section 6.09, a
Trustee, so that there shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder.

        SECTION 3.04.   Provision as to Paying Agent.
                        ----------------------------

          (a) If the Company shall appoint a Paying Agent other than the
Trustee, it will cause such Paying Agent to execute and deliver to the Trustee
an instrument in which such agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the
provision of this Section 3.04:


                                      -19-

<PAGE>


                  (1)    that it will hold all sums held by it as such agent for
          the payment of all payments due on the Debt Securities (whether such
          sums have been paid to it by the Company or by any other obligor on
          the Debt Securities) in trust for the benefit of the holders of the
          Debt Securities;

                  (2)     that it will give the Trustee prompt written notice of
          any failure by the Company (or by any other obligor on the Debt
          Securities) to make any payment on the Debt Securities when the same
          shall be due and payable; and

                  (3)     that it will, at any time during the continuance of
          any Event of Default, upon the written request of the Trustee,
          forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying
          Agent.

          (b)  If the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent, it will, on or
before each due date of the payments due on the Debt Securities, set aside,
segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the holders of the Debt
Securities a sum sufficient to pay such payments so becoming due and will notify
the Trustee in writing of any failure to take such action and of any failure by
the Company (or by any other obligor under the Debt Securities) to make any
payment on the Debt Securities when the same shall become due and payable.

          Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for the Debt
Securities, it will, on or prior to each due date of the payments on the Debt
Securities, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay all payments so
becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons
entitled thereto and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company shall
promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure to act.

          (c) Anything in this Section 3.04 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company may, at any time, for the purpose of obtaining a satisfaction and
discharge with respect to the Debt Securities, or for any other reason, pay, or
direct any Paying Agent to pay to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the
Company or any such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the
same terms and conditions herein contained.

          (d) Anything in this Section 3.04 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
agreement to hold sums in trust as provided in this Section 3.04 is subject to
Sections 12.03 and 12.04.

          (e) The Company hereby initially appoints the Trustee to act as Paying
Agent (the "Paying Agent").

        SECTION 3.05.   Certificate to Trustee.
                        ----------------------

          The Company will deliver to the Trustee on or before 120 days after
the end of each fiscal year, so long as Debt Securities are outstanding
hereunder, a Certificate stating that in the course of the performance by the
signers of their duties as officers of the Company they would normally have
knowledge of any default by the Company in the performance of any covenants of
the Company contained herein, stating whether or not they have knowledge of any
such default and, if so, specifying each such default of which the signers have
knowledge and the nature thereof.



                                      -20-

<PAGE>


SECTION 3.06.     Additional Interest.
                  -------------------

          If and for so long as the Trust is the holder of all Debt Securities
and is subject to or otherwise required to pay, or is required to withhold from
distributions to holders of Trust Securities, any additional taxes (including
withholding taxes), duties, assessments or other governmental charges as a
result of a Tax Event, the Company will pay such additional amounts (the
"Additional Interest") on the Debt Securities as shall be required so that the
net amounts received and retained by the Trust for distribution to holders of
Trust Securities after paying all taxes (including withholding taxes), duties,
assessments or other governmental charges will be equal to the amounts the Trust
would have received and retained for distribution to holders of Trust Securities
after paying all taxes (including withholding taxes on distributions to holders
of Trust Securities), duties, assessments or other governmental charges if no
such additional taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges had
been imposed. Whenever in this Indenture or the Debt Securities there is a
reference in any context to the payment of principal of or premium, if any, or
interest on the Debt Securities, such mention shall be deemed to include mention
of payments of the Additional Interest provided for in this paragraph to the
extent that, in such context, Additional Interest is, was or would be payable in
respect thereof pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph and express mention
of the payment of Additional Interest (if applicable) in any provisions hereof
shall not be construed as excluding Additional Interest in those provisions
hereof where such express mention is not made; provided, however, that,
notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Indenture or any Debt
Security, the deferral of the payment of interest during an Extension Period
pursuant to Section 2.11 shall not defer the payment of any Additional Interest
that may be due and payable.

        SECTION 3.07.  Compliance with Consolidation Provisions.
                       ----------------------------------------

          The Company will not, while any of the Debt Securities remain
outstanding, consolidate with, or merge into any other Person, or merge into
itself, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially
all of its property or capital stock to any other Person unless the provisions
of Article XI hereof are complied with.

        SECTION 3.08.  Limitation on Dividends.
                       -----------------------

          If Debt Securities are initially issued to the Trust or a trustee of
such Trust in connection with the issuance of Trust Securities by the Trust
(regardless of whether Debt Securities continue to be held by such Trust) and
(i) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default, (ii) the
Company shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under
the Capital Securities Guarantee or (iii) the Company shall have given notice of
its election to defer payments of interest on the Debt Securities by extending
the interest distribution period as provided herein and such period, or any
extension thereof, shall have commenced and be continuing, then the Company may
not (A) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase,
acquire, or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the Company's
capital stock or (B) make any payment of principal of or interest or premium, if
any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities of the Company that
rank PARI PASSU in all respects with or junior in interest to the Debt
Securities or (C) make any payment under any guarantees of the Company that rank
PARI PASSU in all respects with or junior in interest to the Capital Securities
Guarantee (other than (a) repurchases, redemptions or other


                                      -21-

<PAGE>


acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Company (I) in connection with
any employment contract, benefit plan or other similar arrangement with or for
the benefit of one or more employees, officers, directors or consultants, (II)
in connection with a dividend reinvestment or stockholder stock purchase plan or
(III) in connection with the issuance of capital stock of the Company (or
securities convertible into or exercisable for such capital stock), as
consideration in an acquisition transaction entered into prior to the occurrence
of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, (b) as a result of any exchange, reclassification,
combination or conversion of any class or series of the Company's capital stock
(or any capital stock of a subsidiary of the Company) for any class or series of
the Company's capital stock or of any class or series of the Company's
indebtedness for any class or series of the Company's capital stock, (c) the
purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Company's capital stock
pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the
security being converted or exchanged, (d) any declaration of a dividend in
connection with any stockholder's rights plan, or the issuance of rights, stock
or other property under any stockholder's rights plan, or the redemption or
repurchase of rights pursuant thereto, or (e) any dividend in the form of stock,
warrants, options or other rights where the dividend stock or the stock issuable
upon exercise of such warrants, options or other rights is the same stock as
that on which the dividend is being paid or ranks PARI PASSU with or junior to
such stock).

        SECTION 3.09.  Covenants as to the Trust.
                       -------------------------

          For so long as such Trust Securities remain outstanding, the Company
shall maintain 100% ownership of the Common Securities; provided, however, that
any permitted successor of the Company under this Indenture that is a U.S.
Person may succeed to the Company's ownership of such Common Securities. The
Company, as owner of the Common Securities, shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to cause the Trust (a) to remain a statutory trust, except in connection
with a distribution of Debt Securities to the holders of Trust Securities in
liquidation of the Trust, the redemption of all of the Trust Securities or
certain mergers, consolidations or amalgamations, each as permitted by the
Declaration, (b) to otherwise continue to be classified as a grantor trust for
United States federal income tax purposes and (c) to cause each holder of Trust
Securities to be treated as owning an undivided beneficial interest in the Debt
Securities.

                                   ARTICLE IV

                LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE

        SECTION 4.01.  Securityholders' Lists.
                       ----------------------

          The Company covenants and agrees that it will furnish or cause to be
furnished to the Trustee:

          (a) on each regular record date for an Interest Payment Date, a list,
in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses
of the Securityholders of the Debt Securities as of such record date; and

          (b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within
30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar
form and content as of a


                                      -22-

<PAGE>


date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished, except that
no such lists need be furnished under this Section 4.01 so long as the Trustee
is in possession thereof by reason of its acting as Debt Security registrar.

        SECTION 4.02.  Preservation and Disclosure of Lists.
                       ------------------------------------

          (a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably
practicable, all information as to the names and addresses of the holders of
Debt Securities (1) contained in the most recent list furnished to it as
provided in Section 4.01 or (2) received by it in the capacity of Debt
Securities registrar (if so acting) hereunder. The Trustee may destroy any list
furnished to it as provided in Section 4.01 upon receipt of a new list so
furnished.

          (b) In case three or more holders of Debt Securities (hereinafter
referred to as "applicants") apply in writing to the Trustee and furnish to the
Trustee reasonable proof that each such applicant has owned a Debt Security for
a period of at least six months preceding the date of such application, and such
application states that the applicants desire to communicate with other holders
of Debt Securities with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under
such Debt Securities and is accompanied by a copy of the form of proxy or other
communication which such applicants propose to transmit, then the Trustee shall
within five Business Days after the receipt of such application, at the election
of the Company, either:

                        (1)   afford such applicants access to the information
          preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions
          of subsection (a) of this Section 4.02, or

                        (2)   inform such applicants as to the approximate
          number of holders of Debt Securities whose names and addresses appear
          in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance
          with the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section 4.02, and as to
          the approximate cost of mailing to such Securityholders the form of
          proxy or other communication, if any, specified in such application.

          If the Company shall elect not to afford such applicants access to
such information, the Trustee shall, upon the written request of such
applicants, mail to each Securityholder of Debt Securities whose name and
address appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in
accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section 4.02 a copy of
the form of proxy or other communication which is specified in such request with
reasonable promptness after a tender to the Trustee of the material to be mailed
and of payment, or provision for the payment, of the reasonable expenses of
mailing, unless within five days after such tender, the Trustee shall mail to
such applicants, and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, if
permitted or required by applicable law, together with a copy of the material to
be mailed, a written statement of the Company to the effect that such mailing
would be contrary to the best interests of the holders of all Debt Securities,
as the case may be, or would be in violation of applicable law. Such written
statement shall specify the basis of such opinion. If said Commission, as
permitted or required by applicable law, after opportunity for a hearing upon
the objections specified in the written statement so filed, shall enter an order
refusing to sustain any of such objections or if, after the entry of an order
sustaining one or more of such objections, said


                                      -23-

<PAGE>


Commission shall find, after notice and opportunity for hearing, that all the
objections so sustained have been met and shall enter an order so declaring, the
Trustee shall mail copies of such material to all such Securityholders with
reasonable promptness after the entry of such order and the renewal of such
tender; otherwise the Trustee shall be relieved of any obligation or duty to
such applicants respecting their application.

          (c) Each and every holder of Debt Securities, by receiving and holding
the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor
the Trustee nor any Paying Agent shall be held accountable by reason of the
disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the holders
of Debt Securities in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this
Section 4.02, regardless of the source from which such information was derived,
and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any
material pursuant to a request made under said subsection (b).

                                   ARTICLE V

      REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS UPON AN EVENT OF DEFAULT

        SECTION 5.01. Events of Default.
                      -----------------

          The following events shall be "Events of Default" with respect to Debt
Securities:

          (a) the Company defaults in the payment of any interest upon any Debt
Security when it becomes due and payable (unless the Company has elected and may
defer interest payments pursuant to Section 2.11), and continuance of such
default for a period of 30 days; for the avoidance of doubt, an extension of any
interest distribution period by the Company in accordance with Section 2.11 of
this Indenture shall not constitute a default under this clause 5.01(a); or

          (b) the Company defaults in the payment of all or any part of the
principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Debt Securities as and when the same
shall become due and payable either at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration
of acceleration pursuant to Section 5.01 of this Indenture or otherwise; or

          (c) the Company defaults in the payment of any interest upon any Debt
Security when it becomes due and payable following the nonpayment of any such
interest for 20 or more consecutive quarterly periods; or

          (d) the Company defaults in the performance of, or breaches, any of
its covenants or agreements in Sections 3.06, 3.07, 3.08 or 3.09 of this
Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement a default in whose performance or
whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with), and
continuance of such default or breach for a period of 90 days after there has
been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to
the Company and the Trustee by the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate
principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities, a written notice specifying
such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such
notice is a "Notice of Default" hereunder; or



                                      -24-

<PAGE>


          (e) a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a decree
or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case under any
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in
effect, or appoints a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee,
sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or for any substantial part of
its property, or orders the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs and such
decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 90
consecutive days; or

          (f) the Company shall commence a voluntary case under any applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, shall
consent to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any
such law, or shall consent to the appointment of or taking possession by a
receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator (or other
similar official) of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or
shall make any general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or shall fail
generally to pay its debts as they become due; or

          (g) the Trust shall have voluntarily or involuntarily liquidated,
dissolved, wound-up its business or otherwise terminated its existence except in
connection with (1) the distribution of the Debt Securities to holders of the
Trust Securities in liquidation of their interests in the Trust, (2) the
redemption of all of the outstanding Trust Securities or (3) certain mergers,
consolidations or amalgamations, each as permitted by the Declaration.

          If an Event of Default specified under clause (c) of this Section 5.01
occurs and is continuing with respect to the Debt Securities, then, and in each
and every such case, unless the principal of the Debt Securities shall have
already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the holders of not less
than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities then outstanding
hereunder, by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by
Securityholders), may declare the entire principal of the Debt Securities and
any premium and interest accrued, but unpaid, thereon, if any, to be due and
payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become
immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified under clause (e)
or (f) of this Section 5.01 occurs, then, in each and every such case, the
entire principal amount of the Debt Securities and any premium and interest
accrued, but unpaid, thereon shall ipso facto become immediately due and payable
without further action. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section
5.01, if at any time during the period in which this Indenture remains in force
and effect, the Company ceases or elects to cease to be subject to the
supervision and regulations of the Federal Reserve, OTS, OCC or similar
regulatory authority overseeing bank, thrift, savings and loan or financial
holding companies or similar institutions requiring specifications for the
treatment of capital similar in nature to the capital adequacy guidelines under
the Federal Reserve rules and regulations, then the first sentence of this
paragraph shall be deemed to include clauses (a), (b) and (d) under this Section
5.01 as an Event of Default resulting in an acceleration of payment of the Debt
Securities to the same extent as provided herein for clause (c).

          With respect to clause (d) of this Section 5.01, the Company agrees
that in the event of a breach by the Company of its covenants or agreements
mentioned therein, any remedy at law or in damages may prove inadequate and
therefore the Company agrees that the Trustee shall be entitled to injunctive
relief against the Company in the event of any breach or threatened


                                      -25-

<PAGE>


breach by the Company, in addition to any other relief (including damages)
available to the Trustee under this Indenture or under law.

          The foregoing provisions, however, are subject to the condition that
if, at any time after the principal of the Debt Securities shall have been so
declared due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of
the moneys due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, (i)
the Company shall pay or shall deposit with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay
all matured installments of interest upon all the Debt Securities and all
payments on the Debt Securities which shall have become due otherwise than by
acceleration (with interest upon all such payments and Deferred Interest, to the
extent permitted by law) and such amount as shall be sufficient to cover
reasonable compensation to the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee, their
respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and all other amounts due to the
Trustee pursuant to Section 6.06, if any, and (ii) all Events of Default under
this Indenture, other than the non-payment of the payments on Debt Securities
which shall have become due by acceleration, shall have been cured, waived or
otherwise remedied as provided herein, and in each and every such case the
holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities then
outstanding, by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee, may waive all
defaults and rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, but no
such waiver or rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any
subsequent default or shall impair any right consequent thereon; provided,
however, that if the Debt Securities are held by the Trust or a trustee of the
Trust, such waiver or rescission and annulment shall not be effective until the
holders of a majority in aggregate liquidation amount of the outstanding Capital
Securities of the Trust shall have consented to such waiver or rescission and
annulment.

          In case the Trustee shall have proceeded to enforce any right under
this Indenture and such proceedings shall have been discontinued or abandoned
because of such rescission or annulment or for any other reason or shall have
been determined adversely to the Trustee, then and in every such case the
Company, the Trustee and the holders of the Debt Securities shall be restored
respectively to their several positions and rights hereunder, and all rights,
remedies and powers of the Company, the Trustee and the holders of the Debt
Securities shall continue as though no such proceeding had been taken.

        SECTION 5.02.  Payment of Debt Securities on Default; Suit Therefor.
                       ----------------------------------------------------

          The Company covenants that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default
pursuant to clause 5.01(a), 5.01(b) or 5.02(c), and upon demand of the Trustee,
the Company will pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the holders of the Debt
Securities, the whole amount that then shall have become due and payable on all
Debt Securities including Deferred Interest accrued on the Debt Securities; and,
in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the
costs and expenses of collection, including a reasonable compensation to the
Trustee, its agents, attorneys and counsel, and any other amounts due to the
Trustee under Section 6.06. In case the Company shall fail forthwith to pay such
amounts upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an
express trust, shall be entitled and empowered to institute any actions or
proceedings at law or in equity for the collection of the sums so due and
unpaid, and may prosecute any such action or proceeding to judgment or final
decree, and may enforce any such judgment or final decree against the Company or
any other obligor on such Debt Securities and


                                      -26-

<PAGE>


collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any
other obligor on such Debt Securities wherever situated the moneys adjudged or
decreed to be payable.

          In case there shall be pending proceedings for the bankruptcy or for
the reorganization of the Company or any other obligor on the Debt Securities
under Bankruptcy Law, or in case a receiver or trustee shall have been appointed
for the property of the Company or such other obligor, or in the case of any
other similar judicial proceedings relative to the Company or other obligor upon
the Debt Securities, or to the creditors or property of the Company or such
other obligor, the Trustee, irrespective of whether the principal of the Debt
Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration
of acceleration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have
made any demand pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5.02, shall be
entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise, to
file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of principal and interest
owing and unpaid in respect of the Debt Securities and, in case of any judicial
proceedings, to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may
be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including
any claim for reasonable compensation to the Trustee and each predecessor
Trustee, and their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and for
reimbursement of all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06) and of
the Securityholders allowed in such judicial proceedings relative to the Company
or any other obligor on the Debt Securities, or to the creditors or property of
the Company or such other obligor, unless prohibited by applicable law and
regulations, to vote on behalf of the holders of the Debt Securities in any
election of a trustee or a standby trustee in arrangement, reorganization,
liquidation or other bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings or Person performing
similar functions in comparable proceedings, and to collect and receive any
moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims, and to
distribute the same after the deduction of its charges and expenses; and any
receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization is hereby
authorized by each of the Securityholders to make such payments to the Trustee,
and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments
directly to the Securityholders, to pay to the Trustee such amounts as shall be
sufficient to cover reasonable compensation to the Trustee, each predecessor
Trustee and their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and all other
amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

          Nothing herein contained shall be construed to authorize the Trustee
to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Securityholder
any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the
Debt Securities or the rights of any holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee
to vote in respect of the claim of any Securityholder in any such proceeding.

          All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture, or
under any of the Debt Securities, may be enforced by the Trustee without the
possession of any of the Debt Securities, or the production thereof at any trial
or other proceeding relative thereto, and any such suit or proceeding instituted
by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust,
and any recovery of judgment shall be for the ratable benefit of the holders of
the Debt Securities.

          In any proceedings brought by the Trustee (and also any proceedings
involving the interpretation of any provision of this Indenture to which the
Trustee shall be a party) the

                                      -27-

<PAGE>


Trustee shall be held to represent all the holders of the Debt Securities, and
it shall not be necessary to make any holders of the Debt Securities parties to
any such proceedings.

        SECTION 5.03. Application of Moneys Collected by Trustee.
                      ------------------------------------------

          Any moneys collected by the Trustee shall be applied in the following
order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee for the distribution of such
moneys, upon presentation of the several Debt Securities in respect of which
moneys have been collected, and stamping thereon the payment, if only partially
paid, and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

          First: To the payment of costs and expenses incurred by, and
reasonable fees of, the Trustee, its agents, attorneys and counsel, and of all
other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06;

          Second: To the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of the Company if
and to the extent required by Article XV;

          Third: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon Debt
Securities, in respect of which or for the benefit of which money has been
collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the
amounts due on such Debt Securities; and

          Fourth: The balance, if any, to the Company.

        SECTION 5.04.  Proceedings by Securityholders.
                       ------------------------------

          No holder of any Debt Security shall have any right to institute any
suit, action or proceeding for any remedy hereunder, unless such holder
previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of an Event of Default
with respect to the Debt Securities and unless the holders of not less than 25%
in aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities then outstanding shall have
given the Trustee a written request to institute such action, suit or proceeding
and shall have offered to the Trustee such reasonable indemnity as it may
require against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred thereby, and
the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of
indemnity shall have failed to institute any such action, suit or proceeding;
provided, that no holder of Debt Securities shall have any right to prejudice
the rights of any other holder of Debt Securities, obtain priority or preference
over any other such holder or enforce any right under this Indenture except in
the manner herein provided and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all
holders of Debt Securities.

          Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Indenture, however, the
right of any holder of any Debt Security to receive payment of the principal of,
premium, if any, and interest on such Debt Security when due, or to institute
suit for the enforcement of any such payment, shall not be impaired or affected
without the consent of such holder. For the protection and enforcement of the
provisions of this Section, each and every Securityholder and the Trustee shall
be entitled to such relief as can be given either at law or in equity.


                                      -28-
<PAGE>


        SECTION 5.05. Proceedings by Trustee.
                      ----------------------

          In case of an Event of Default hereunder the Trustee may in its
discretion proceed to protect and enforce the rights vested in it by this
Indenture by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem
most effectual to protect and enforce any of such rights, either by suit in
equity or by action at law or by proceeding in bankruptcy or otherwise, whether
for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement contained in this
Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Indenture, or
to enforce any other legal or equitable right vested in the Trustee by this
Indenture or by law.

        SECTION 5.06.  Remedies Cumulative and Continuing.
                       ----------------------------------

          Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.06, all powers and remedies
given by this Article V to the Trustee or to the Securityholders shall, to the
extent permitted by law, be deemed cumulative and not exclusive of any other
powers and remedies available to the Trustee or the holders of the Debt
Securities, by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to enforce the performance or
observance of the covenants and agreements contained in this Indenture or
otherwise established with respect to the Debt Securities, and no delay or
omission of the Trustee or of any holder of any of the Debt Securities to
exercise any right or power accruing upon any Event of Default occurring and
continuing as aforesaid shall impair any such right or power, or shall be
construed to be a waiver of any such default or an acquiescence therein; and,
subject to the provisions of Section 5.04, every power and remedy given by this
Article V or by law to the Trustee or to the Securityholders may be exercised
from time to time, and as often as shall be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or
by the Securityholders.

        SECTION 5.07.  Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by
                       --------------------------------------------------
Majority of Securityholders.
---------------------------

          The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Debt
Securities affected (voting as one class) at the time outstanding and, if the
Debt Securities are held by the Trust or a trustee of the Trust, the holders of
a majority in aggregate liquidation amount of the outstanding Capital Securities
of the Trust shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising
any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to such Debt
Securities; provided, however, that if the Debt Securities are held by the Trust
or a trustee of the Trust, such time, method and place or such exercise, as the
case may be, may not be so directed until the holders of a majority in aggregate
liquidation amount of the outstanding Capital Securities of the Trust shall have
directed such time, method and place or such exercise, as the case may be;
provided, further, that (subject to the provisions of Section 6.01) the Trustee
shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee
being advised by counsel shall determine that the action so directed would be
unjustly prejudicial to the holders not taking part in such direction or if the
Trustee being advised by counsel determines that the action or proceeding so
directed may not lawfully be taken or if a Responsible Officer of the Trustee
shall determine that the action or proceedings so directed would involve the
Trustee in personal liability. Prior to any declaration of acceleration, or ipso
facto acceleration, of the maturity of the Debt Securities, the holders of a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities at the time
outstanding may on behalf of the holders of all of the Debt Securities waive (or
modify any previously granted


                                      -29-

<PAGE>


waiver of) any past default or Event of Default and its consequences, except a
default (a) in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any
of the Debt Securities, (b) in respect of covenants or provisions hereof which
cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each Debt
Security affected, or (c) in respect of the covenants contained in Section 3.09;
provided, however, that if the Debt Securities are held by the Trust or a
trustee of the Trust, such waiver or modification to such waiver shall not be
effective until the holders of a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Trust
Securities of the Trust shall have consented to such waiver or modification to
such waiver; provided, further, that if the consent of the holder of each
outstanding Debt Security is required, such waiver or modification to such
waiver shall not be effective until each holder of the outstanding Capital
Securities of the Trust shall have consented to such waiver or modification to
such waiver. Upon any such waiver or modification to such waiver, the Default or
Event of Default covered thereby shall be deemed to be cured for all purposes of
this Indenture and the Company, the Trustee and the holders of the Debt
Securities shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder,
respectively; but no such waiver or modification to such waiver shall extend to
any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default or impair any right
consequent thereon. Whenever any Default or Event of Default hereunder shall
have been waived as permitted by this Section 5.07, said Default or Event of
Default shall for all purposes of the Debt Securities and this Indenture be
deemed to have been cured and to be not continuing.

        SECTION 5.08.  Notice of Defaults.
                       ------------------

          The Trustee shall, within 90 days after a Responsible Officer of the
Trustee shall have actual knowledge or received written notice of the occurrence
of a Default with respect to the Debt Securities, mail to all Securityholders,
as the names and addresses of such holders appear upon the Debt Security
Register, notice of all Defaults with respect to the Debt Securities known to
the Trustee, unless such defaults shall have been cured before the giving of
such notice (the term "defaults" for the purpose of this Section 5.08 being
hereby defined to be the events specified in subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), (e)
and (f) of Section 5.01, not including periods of grace, if any, provided for
therein); provided, that, except in the case of default in the payment of the
principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Debt Securities, the
Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as a
Responsible Officer of the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding
of such notice is in the interests of the Securityholders.

        SECTION 5.09. Undertaking to Pay Costs.
                      ------------------------

          All parties to this Indenture agree, and each holder of any Debt
Security by such holder's acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed,
that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of
any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for
any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant
in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such
court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable
attorneys' fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit, having
due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such
party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.09 shall not apply to any
suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Securityholder, or
group of Securityholders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal
amount of the Debt


                                      -30-

<PAGE>


Securities (or, if such Debt Securities are held by the Trust or a trustee of
the Trust, more than 10% in liquidation amount of the outstanding Capital
Securities), to any suit instituted by any Securityholder for the enforcement of
the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Debt
Security against the Company on or after the same shall have become due and
payable, or to any suit instituted in accordance with Section 14.12.

                                   ARTICLE VI

                             CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

        SECTION 6.01. Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee.
                      --------------------------------------

          With respect to the holders of Debt Securities issued hereunder, the
Trustee, prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to the Debt
Securities and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default which may
have occurred, with respect to the Debt Securities, undertakes to perform such
duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture. In
case an Event of Default with respect to the Debt Securities has occurred (which
has not been cured or waived), the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and
powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill
in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the
circumstances in the conduct of such person's own affairs.

          No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the
Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure
to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

          (a) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to the
Debt Securities and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default which
may have occurred

               (1)  the duties and obligations of the Trustee with respect to
          the Debt Securities shall be determined solely by the express
          provisions of this Indenture, and the Trustee shall not be liable
          except for the performance of such duties and obligations with respect
          to the Debt Securities as are specifically set forth in this
          Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into
          this Indenture against the Trustee; and

               (2)   in the  absence of bad faith on the part of the  Trustee,
          the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements
          and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any
          certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to
          the requirements of this Indenture; but, in the case of any such
          certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are
          specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee
          shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not
          they conform on their face to the requirements of this Indenture;

          (b) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in
good faith by a Responsible Officer or Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall
be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;


                                      -31-

<PAGE>


          (c) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken
or omitted to be taken by it in good faith, in accordance with the direction of
the Securityholders pursuant to Section 5.07, relating to the time, method and
place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or
exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture;

          (d) the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any Default or
Event of Default with respect to the Debt Securities unless either (1) a
Responsible Officer shall have actual knowledge of such Default or Event of
Default or (2) written notice of such Default or Event of Default shall have
been given to the Trustee by the Company or any other obligor on the Debt
Securities or by any holder of the Debt Securities, except with respect to an
Event of Default pursuant to Sections 5.01(a), 5.01(b) or 5.01(c) hereof (other
than an Event of Default resulting from the default in the payment of Additional
Interest or premium, if any, if the Trustee does not have actual knowledge or
written notice that such payment is due and payable), of which the Trustee shall
be deemed to have knowledge; and

          (e) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee, the
Trustee may seek and rely on reasonable instructions from the Company.

          None of the provisions contained in this Indenture shall require the
Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of
its rights or powers.

        SECTION 6.02.  Reliance on Documents, Opinions, etc.
                       -------------------------------------

          Except as otherwise provided in Section 6.01:

          (a) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in
acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, bond, note,
debenture or other paper or document believed by it in good faith to be genuine
and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

          (b) any request, direction, order or demand of the Company mentioned
herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers' Certificate (unless other
evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed); and any Board
Resolution may be evidenced to the Trustee by a copy thereof certified by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company;

          (c) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and any
advice or Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and
protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder
in good faith and in accordance with such advice or Opinion of Counsel;

          (d) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the
rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or
direction of any of the Securityholders, pursuant to the provisions of this
Indenture, unless such Securityholders shall have offered to the Trustee
reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities
which may be incurred therein or thereby;


                                      -32-

<PAGE>


          (e) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted by
it in good faith and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within the
discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture; nothing
contained herein shall, however, relieve the Trustee of the obligation, upon the
occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to the Debt Securities (that has
not been cured or waived) to exercise with respect to the Debt Securities such
of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and to use the same
degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise
or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person's own affairs;

          (f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the
facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument,
opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, bond, debenture,
coupon or other paper or document, unless requested in writing to do so by the
holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding Debt Securities affected thereby; provided, however, that if the
payment within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or
liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is,
in the opinion of the Trustee, not reasonably assured to the Trustee by the
security afforded to it by the terms of this Indenture, the Trustee may require
reasonable indemnity against such expense or liability as a condition to so
proceeding; and

          (g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or
perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents (including
any Authenticating Agent) or attorneys, and the Trustee shall not be responsible
for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent or attorney
appointed by it with due care.

        SECTION 6.03.  No Responsibility for Recitals, etc.
                       ------------------------------------

          The recitals contained herein and in the Debt Securities (except in
the certificate of authentication of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent)
shall be taken as the statements of the Company and the Trustee and the
Authenticating Agent assume no responsibility for the correctness of the same.
The Trustee and the Authenticating Agent make no representations as to the
validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Debt Securities. The Trustee
and the Authenticating Agent shall not be accountable for the use or application
by the Company of any Debt Securities or the proceeds of any Debt Securities
authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent in
conformity with the provisions of this Indenture.

        SECTION 6.04.  Trustee,  Authenticating  Agent,  Paying  Agents,
                       -------------------------------------------------
Transfer  Agents  or  Registrar  May Own Debt Securities.
--------------------------------------------------------

          The Trustee or any Authenticating Agent or any Paying Agent or any
transfer agent or any Debt Security registrar, in its individual or any other
capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Debt Securities with the same
rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent,
transfer agent or Debt Security registrar.

        SECTION 6.05.  Moneys to be Held in Trust.
                       --------------------------

          Subject to the provisions of Section 12.04, all moneys received by the
Trustee or any Paying Agent shall, until used or applied as herein provided, be
held in trust for the purpose


                                      -33-

<PAGE>


for which they were received, but need not be segregated from other funds except
to the extent required by law. The Trustee and any Paying Agent shall be under
no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as
otherwise agreed in writing with the Company. So long as no Event of Default
shall have occurred and be continuing, all interest allowed on any such moneys,
if any, shall be paid from time to time to the Company upon the written order of
the Company, signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President,
the Chief Operating Officer, a Vice President, the Treasurer or an Assistant
Treasurer of the Company.

        SECTION 6.06.  Compensation and Expenses of Trustee.
                       ------------------------------------

          Other than as provided in the Fee Agreement of even date herewith
between Cohen Bros. & Company, the Trustee, the Company and Delaware Trustee (as
defined in the Declaration), the Company covenants and agrees to pay to the
Trustee from time to time, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, such
compensation as shall be agreed to in writing between the Company and the
Trustee (which shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the
compensation of a trustee of an express trust), and the Company will pay or
reimburse the Trustee upon its written request for all documented reasonable
expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in
accordance with any of the provisions of this Indenture (including the
reasonable compensation and the reasonable expenses and disbursements of its
counsel and of all Persons not regularly in its employ) except any such expense,
disbursement or advance that arises from its negligence, willful misconduct or
bad faith. The Company also covenants to indemnify each of the Trustee
(including in its individual capacity) and any predecessor Trustee (and its
officers, agents, directors and employees) for, and to hold it harmless against,
any and all loss, damage, claim, liability or expense including taxes (other
than taxes based on the income of the Trustee), except to the extent such loss,
damage, claim, liability or expense results from the negligence, willful
misconduct or bad faith of such indemnitee, arising out of or in connection with
the acceptance or administration of this Trust, including the costs and expenses
of defending itself against any claim or liability in the premises. The
obligations of the Company under this Section 6.06 to compensate and indemnify
the Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee for documented expenses,
disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder.
Such additional indebtedness shall be secured by (and the Company hereby grants
and pledges to the Trustee) a lien prior to that of the Debt Securities upon all
property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held
in trust for the benefit of the holders of particular Debt Securities.

          Without prejudice to any other rights available to the Trustee under
applicable law, when the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in
connection with an Event of Default specified in subsections (e), (f) or (g) of
Section 5.01, the expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its
counsel) and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute
expenses of administration under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy,
insolvency or other similar law.

          The provisions of this Section shall survive the resignation or
removal of the Trustee and the defeasance or other termination of this
Indenture.

          Notwithstanding anything in this Indenture or any Debt Security to the
contrary, the Trustee shall have no obligation whatsoever to advance funds to
pay any principal of or


                                      -34-

<PAGE>


interest on or other amounts with respect to the Debt Securities or otherwise
advance funds to or on behalf of the Company.

        SECTION 6.07.  Officers' Certificate as Evidence.
                       ---------------------------------

          Except as otherwise provided in Sections 6.01 and 6.02, whenever in
the administration of the provisions of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it
necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking or
omitting any action hereunder, such matter (unless other evidence in respect
thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence,
willful misconduct or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be
conclusively proved and established by an Officers' Certificate delivered to the
Trustee, and such certificate, in the absence of negligence, willful misconduct
or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to the Trustee
for any action taken or omitted by it under the provisions of this Indenture
upon the faith thereof.

        SECTION 6.08.  Eligibility of Trustee.
                       ----------------------

          The Trustee hereunder shall at all times be a U.S. Person that is a
banking corporation or national association organized and doing business under
the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or of the District
of Columbia and authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers,
having a combined capital and surplus of at least fifty million U.S. dollars
($50,000,000) and subject to supervision or examination by federal, state, or
District of Columbia authority. If such corporation or national association
publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the
requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the
purposes of this Section 6.08 the combined capital and surplus of such
corporation or national association shall be deemed to be its combined capital
and surplus as set forth in its most recent records of condition so published.

          The Company may not, nor may any Person directly or indirectly
controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Company, serve as
Trustee, notwithstanding that such corporation or national association shall be
otherwise eligible and qualified under this Article.

          In case at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in
accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.08, the Trustee shall resign
immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in Section 6.09.

          If the Trustee has or shall acquire any "conflicting interest" within
the meaning of ss. 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either
eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by,
and subject to this Indenture.

        SECTION 6.09.  Resignation or Removal of Trustee, Calculation Agent,
                       -----------------------------------------------------
Paying Agent or Debt Security Registrar.
---------------------------------------

          (a) The Trustee, or any trustee or trustees hereafter appointed, the
Calculation Agent, the Paying Agent and any Debt Security Registrar may at any
time resign by giving written notice of such resignation to the Company and by
mailing notice thereof, at the Company's expense, to the holders of the Debt
Securities at their addresses as they shall appear


                                      -35-

<PAGE>


on the Debt Security Register. Upon receiving such notice of resignation, the
Company shall promptly appoint a successor or successors by written instrument,
in duplicate, executed by order of its Board of Directors, one copy of which
instrument shall be delivered to the resigning party and one copy to the
successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed and have accepted
appointment within 30 days after the mailing of such notice of resignation to
the affected Securityholders, the resigning party may petition any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor, or any Securityholder
who has been a bona fide holder of a Debt Security or Debt Securities for at
least six months may, subject to the provisions of Section 5.09, on behalf of
himself or herself and all others similarly situated, petition any such court
for the appointment of a successor. Such court may thereupon, after such notice,
if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, appoint a successor.

          (b)   In case at any time any of the following shall occur:

                (1)  the Trustee shall fail to comply with the provisions of the
          last paragraph of Section 6.08 after written request therefor by the
          Company or by any Securityholder who has been a bona fide holder of a
          Debt Security or Debt Securities for at least six months,

                (2)  the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with
          the provisions of Section 6.08 and shall fail to resign after written
          request therefor by the Company or by any such Securityholder, or

                (3)  the Trustee shall become incapable of acting, or shall be
          adjudged bankrupt or insolvent, or a receiver of the Trustee or of its
          property shall be appointed, or any public officer shall take charge
          or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the
          purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

       then, in any such case, the Company may remove the Trustee and appoint
a successor Trustee by written instrument, in duplicate, executed by order of
the Board of Directors, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the
Trustee so removed and one copy to the successor Trustee, or, subject to the
provisions of Section 5.09, if no successor Trustee shall have been so appointed
and have accepted appointment within 30 days of the occurrence of any of (1),
(2) or (3) above, any Securityholder who has been a bona fide holder of a Debt
Security or Debt Securities for at least six months may, on behalf of himself or
herself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor
Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may deem
proper and prescribe, remove the Trustee and appoint a successor Trustee.

          (c) Upon prior written notice to the Company and the Trustee, the
holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities at
the time outstanding may at any time remove the Trustee and nominate a successor
Trustee, which shall be deemed appointed as successor Trustee unless within ten
Business Days after such nomination the Company objects thereto, in which case
or in the case of a failure by such holders to nominate a successor Trustee, the
Trustee so removed or any Securityholder, upon the terms and conditions and
otherwise as in subsection (a) of this Section 6.09 provided, may petition any
court of competent jurisdiction for an appointment of a successor.


                                      -36-

<PAGE>


          (d) Any resignation or removal of the Trustee, the Calculation Agent,
the Paying Agent and any Debt Security Registrar and appointment of a successor
pursuant to any of the provisions of this Section 6.09 shall become effective
upon acceptance of appointment by the successor as provided in Section 6.10.

        SECTION 6.10.  Acceptance by Successor.
                       -----------------------

          Any successor Trustee, Calculation Agent, Paying Agent or Debt
Security Registrar appointed as provided in Section 6.09 shall execute,
acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to its predecessor an instrument
accepting such appointment hereunder, and thereupon the resignation or removal
of the retiring party shall become effective and such successor, without any
further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights,
powers, duties and obligations with respect to the Debt Securities of its
predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named herein; but,
nevertheless, on the written request of the Company or of the successor, the
party ceasing to act shall, upon payment of the amounts then due it pursuant to
the provisions of Section 6.06, execute and deliver an instrument transferring
to such successor all the rights and powers of the party so ceasing to act and
shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor all property and money
held by such retiring party hereunder. Upon reasonable request of any such
successor, the Company shall execute any and all instruments in writing for more
fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor all such rights
and powers. Any party ceasing to act shall, nevertheless, retain a lien upon all
property or funds held or collected to secure any amounts then due it pursuant
to the provisions of Section 6.06.

          If a successor Trustee is appointed, the Company, the retiring Trustee
and the successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental
hereto which shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or
desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the
retiring Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities as to which the predecessor
Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the predecessor Trustee,
and shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be
necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the Trust hereunder
by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such
supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same
trust and that each such Trustee shall be Trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder
separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other
such Trustee.

          No successor Trustee shall accept appointment as provided in this
Section 6.10 unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall
be eligible and qualified under the provisions of Section 6.08.

          In no event shall a retiring Trustee, Calculation Agent, Paying Agent
or Debt Security Registrar be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor
hereunder.

          Upon acceptance of appointment by a successor Trustee, Calculation
Agent, Paying Agent or Debt Security Registrar as provided in this Section 6.10,
the Company shall mail notice of the succession to the holders of Debt
Securities at their addresses as they shall appear on the Debt Security
Register. If the Company fails to mail such notice within ten


                                      -37-

<PAGE>


Business Days after the acceptance of appointment by the successor, the
successor shall cause such notice to be mailed at the expense of the Company.

        SECTION 6.11. Succession by Merger, etc.
                      --------------------------

          Any Person into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with
which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger,
conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Person
succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the
Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder without the execution
or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties
hereto; provided, that such Person shall be otherwise eligible and qualified
under this Article.

          In case at the time such successor to the Trustee shall succeed to the
trusts created by this Indenture any of the Debt Securities shall have been
authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to the Trustee may adopt the
certificate of authentication of any predecessor Trustee, and deliver such Debt
Securities so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Debt Securities
shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may authenticate
such Debt Securities either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the
name of the successor Trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall
have the full force which it is anywhere in the Debt Securities or in this
Indenture provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have; provided,
however, that the right to adopt the certificate of authentication of any
predecessor Trustee or authenticate Debt Securities in the name of any
predecessor Trustee shall apply only to its successor or successors by merger,
conversion or consolidation.

        SECTION 6.12.  Authenticating Agents.
                       ---------------------

          There may be one or more Authenticating Agents appointed by the
Trustee upon the request of the Company with power to act on its behalf and
subject to its direction in the authentication and delivery of Debt Securities
issued upon exchange or registration of transfer thereof as fully to all intents
and purposes as though any such Authenticating Agent had been expressly
authorized to authenticate and deliver Debt Securities; provided, that the
Trustee shall have no liability to the Company for any acts or omissions of the
Authenticating Agent with respect to the authentication and delivery of Debt
Securities. Any such Authenticating Agent shall at all times be a Person
organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any state
or territory thereof or of the District of Columbia authorized under such laws
to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of at
least $50,000,000 and being subject to supervision or examination by federal,
state, territorial or District of Columbia authority. If such Person publishes
reports of condition at least annually pursuant to law or the requirements of
such authority, then for the purposes of this Section 6.12 the combined capital
and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and
surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at
any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with
the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and
with the effect herein specified in this Section.

          Any Person into which any Authenticating Agent may be merged or
converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any
merger, consolidation or conversion to which any Authenticating Agent shall be a
party, or any Person succeeding to all


                                      -38-

<PAGE>


or substantially all of the corporate trust business of any Authenticating
Agent, shall be the successor of such Authenticating Agent hereunder, if such
successor Person is otherwise eligible under this Section 6.12 without the
execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the parties
hereto or such Authenticating Agent.

          Any Authenticating Agent may at any time resign by giving written
notice of resignation to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any
time terminate the agency of any Authenticating Agent with respect to the Debt
Securities by giving written notice of termination to such Authenticating Agent
and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a
termination, or in case at any time any Authenticating Agent shall cease to be
eligible under this Section 6.12, the Trustee may, and upon the request of the
Company shall, promptly appoint a successor Authenticating Agent eligible under
this Section 6.12, shall give written notice of such appointment to the Company
and shall mail notice of such appointment to all holders of Debt Securities as
the names and addresses of such holders appear on the Debt Security Register.
Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder
shall become vested with all rights, powers, duties and responsibilities with
respect to the Debt Securities of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as
if originally named as Authenticating Agent herein.

          Other than as provided in the Fee Agreement of even date herewith
between Cohen Bros. & Company, the Company, the Trustee and Delaware Trustee (as
defined in the Declaration), the Company agrees to pay to any Authenticating
Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services. Any
Authenticating Agent shall have no responsibility or liability for any action
taken by it as such in accordance with the directions of the Trustee and shall
receive such reasonable indemnity as it may require against the costs, expenses
and liabilities incurred in furtherance of its duties under this Section 6.12.

                                  ARTICLE VII

                         CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS

        SECTION 7.01.  Action by Securityholders.
                       -------------------------

          Whenever in this Indenture it is provided that the holders of a
specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities or
aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities may take any action
(including the making of any demand or request, the giving of any notice,
consent or waiver or the taking of any other action), the fact that at the time
of taking any such action the holders of such specified percentage have joined
therein may be evidenced (a) by any instrument or any number of instruments of
similar tenor executed by such Securityholders or holders of Capital Securities,
as the case may be, in person or by agent or proxy appointed in writing, or (b)
by the record of such holders of Debt Securities voting in favor thereof at any
meeting of such Securityholders duly called and held in accordance with the
provisions of Article VIII or of such holders of Capital Securities duly called
and held in accordance with the provisions of the Declaration, or (c) by a
combination of such instrument or instruments and any such record of such a
meeting of such Securityholders or holders of Capital Securities, as the case
may be, or (d) by any other method the Trustee deems satisfactory.



                                      -39-

<PAGE>


          If the Company shall solicit from the Securityholders any request,
demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action or
revocation of the same, the Company may, at its option, as evidenced by an
Officers' Certificate, fix in advance a record date for such Debt Securities for
the determination of Securityholders entitled to give such request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action or revocation
of the same, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such a record
date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other action or revocation of the same may be given before or after
the record date, but only the Securityholders of record at the close of business
on the record date shall be deemed to be Securityholders for the purposes of
determining whether Securityholders of the requisite proportion of outstanding
Debt Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action or revocation
of the same, and for that purpose the outstanding Debt Securities shall be
computed as of the record date; provided, however, that no such authorization,
agreement or consent by such Securityholders on the record date shall be deemed
effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this
Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

        SECTION 7.02.  Proof of Execution by Securityholders.
                       -------------------------------------

          Subject to the provisions of Sections 6.01, 6.02 and 8.05, proof of
the execution of any instrument by a Securityholder or such Securityholder's
agent or proxy shall be sufficient if made in accordance with such reasonable
rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Trustee or in such manner as
shall be satisfactory to the Trustee. The ownership of Debt Securities shall be
proved by the Debt Security Register or by a certificate of the Debt Security
Registrar. The Trustee may require such additional proof of any matter referred
to in this Section as it shall deem necessary.

          The record of any Securityholders' meeting shall be proved in the
manner provided in Section 8.06.

        SECTION 7.03.  Who Are Deemed Absolute Owners.
                       ------------------------------

          Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Debt
Security, the Company, the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent,
any transfer agent and any Debt Security registrar may deem the Person in whose
name such Debt Security shall be registered upon the Debt Security Register to
be, and may treat such Person as, the absolute owner of such Debt Security
(whether or not such Debt Security shall be overdue) for the purpose of
receiving payment of or on account of the principal of, premium, if any, and
interest on such Debt Security and for all other purposes; and neither the
Company nor the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent nor any Paying Agent nor
any transfer agent nor any Debt Security registrar shall be affected by any
notice to the contrary. All such payments so made to any holder for the time
being or upon such holder's order shall be valid, and, to the extent of the sum
or sums so paid, effectual to satisfy and discharge the liability for moneys
payable upon any such Debt Security.


                                      -40-

<PAGE>


        SECTION 7.04.   Debt Securities Owned by Company Deemed Not Outstanding.
                        -------------------------------------------------------

          In determining whether the holders of the requisite aggregate
principal amount of Debt Securities have concurred in any direction, consent or
waiver under this Indenture, Debt Securities which are owned by the Company or
any other obligor on the Debt Securities or by any Person directly or indirectly
controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the
Company (other than the Trust) or any other obligor on the Debt Securities shall
be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding for the purpose of any such
determination; provided, that for the purposes of determining whether the
Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, consent or waiver,
only Debt Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows
are so owned shall be so disregarded. Debt Securities so owned which have been
pledged in good faith may be regarded as outstanding for the purposes of this
Section 7.04 if the pledgee shall establish to the satisfaction of the Trustee
the pledgee's right to vote such Debt Securities and that the pledgee is not the
Company or any such other obligor or Person directly or indirectly controlling
or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company or
any such other obligor. In the case of a dispute as to such right, any decision
by the Trustee taken upon the advice of counsel shall be full protection to the
Trustee.

        SECTION 7.05.  Revocation of Consents; Future Securityholders Bound.
                       ----------------------------------------------------

          At any time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee, as
provided in Section 7.01, of the taking of any action by the holders of the
percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities specified in
this Indenture in connection with such action, any holder (in cases where no
record date has been set pursuant to Section 7.01) or any holder as of an
applicable record date (in cases where a record date has been set pursuant to
Section 7.01) of a Debt Security (or any Debt Security issued in whole or in
part in exchange or substitution therefor) the serial number of which is shown
by the evidence to be included in the Debt Securities the holders of which have
consented to such action may, by filing written notice with the Trustee at the
Principal Office of the Trustee and upon proof of holding as provided in Section
7.02, revoke such action so far as concerns such Debt Security (or so far as
concerns the principal amount represented by any exchanged or substituted Debt
Security). Except as aforesaid any such action taken by the holder of any Debt
Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such holder and upon all future
holders and owners of such Debt Security, and of any Debt Security issued in
exchange or substitution therefor or on registration of transfer thereof,
irrespective of whether or not any notation in regard thereto is made upon such
Debt Security or any Debt Security issued in exchange or substitution therefor.

                                  ARTICLE VIII

                            SECURITYHOLDERS' MEETINGS

        SECTION 8.01. Purposes of Meetings.
                      --------------------

          A meeting of Securityholders may be called at any time and from time
to time pursuant to the provisions of this Article VIII for any of the following
purposes:



                                      -41-

<PAGE>


          (a) to give any notice to the Company or to the Trustee, or to give
any directions to the Trustee, or to consent to the waiving of any default
hereunder and its consequences, or to take any other action authorized to be
taken by Securityholders pursuant to any of the provisions of Article V;

          (b) to remove the Trustee and nominate a successor trustee pursuant to
the provisions of Article VI;

          (c) to consent to the execution of an indenture or indentures
supplemental hereto pursuant to the provisions of Section 9.02; or

          (d) to take any other action authorized to be taken by or on behalf of
the holders of any specified aggregate principal amount of such Debt Securities
under any other provision of this Indenture or under applicable law.

        SECTION 8.02. Call of Meetings by Trustee.
                      ---------------------------

          The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Securityholders to take
any action specified in Section 8.01, to be held at such time and at such place
in The City of New York, the Borough of Manhattan, or Houston, Texas, as the
Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of the Securityholders, setting
forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action
proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be mailed to holders of Debt
Securities affected at their addresses as they shall appear on the Debt
Securities Register. Such notice shall be mailed not less than 20 nor more than
180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

        SECTION 8.03.  Call of Meetings by Company or Securityholders.
                       ----------------------------------------------

          In case at any time the Company pursuant to a Board Resolution, or the
holders of at least 10% in aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities, as
the case may be, then outstanding, shall have requested the Trustee to call a
meeting of Securityholders, by written request setting forth in reasonable
detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not
have mailed the notice of such meeting within 20 days after receipt of such
request, then the Company or such Securityholders may determine the time and the
place in for such meeting and may call such meeting to take any action
authorized in Section 8.01, by mailing notice thereof as provided in Section
8.02.

        SECTION 8.04.  Qualifications for Voting.
                       -------------------------

          To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Securityholders a Person
shall be (a) a holder of one or more Debt Securities with respect to which the
meeting is being held or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as
proxy by a holder of one or more such Debt Securities. The only Persons who
shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Securityholders
shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel and any
representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the
Company and its counsel.


                                      -42-

<PAGE>


        SECTION 8.05.  Regulations.
                       -----------

          Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee
may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of
Securityholders, in regard to proof of the holding of Debt Securities and of the
appointment of proxies, and in regard to the appointment and duties of
inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and
other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the
conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate.

          The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary
chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the
Company or by Securityholders as provided in Section 8.03, in which case the
Company or the Securityholders calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in
like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent
secretary of the meeting shall be elected by majority vote at the meeting.

          Subject to the provisions of Section 7.04, at any meeting each holder
of Debt Securities with respect to which such meeting is being held or proxy
therefor shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount of Debt
Securities held or represented by such holder; provided, however, that no vote
shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Debt Security
challenged as not outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not
outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote other than
by virtue of Debt Securities held by such chairman or instruments in writing as
aforesaid duly designating such chairman as the Person to vote on behalf of
other Securityholders. Any meeting of Securityholders duly called pursuant to
the provisions of Section 8.02 or 8.03 may be adjourned from time to time by a
majority of those present, whether or not constituting a quorum, and the meeting
may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

        SECTION 8.06.  Voting.
                       ------

          The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of holders of
Debt Securities with respect to which such meeting is being held shall be by
written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of such holders or
of their representatives by proxy and the serial number or numbers of the Debt
Securities held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting
shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the
meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the
secretary of the meeting their verified written reports in triplicate of all
votes cast at the meeting. A record in duplicate of the proceedings of each
meeting of Securityholders shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and
there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of
votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more Persons
having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting
and showing that said notice was mailed as provided in Section 8.02. The record
shall show the serial numbers of the Debt Securities voting in favor of or
against any resolution. The record shall be signed and verified by the
affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one of the
duplicates shall be delivered to the Company and the other to the Trustee to be
preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted
at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence
of the matters therein stated.



                                      -43-

<PAGE>


        SECTION 8.07.  Quorum; Actions.
                       ---------------

          The Persons entitled to vote a majority in outstanding principal
amount of the Debt Securities shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of
Securityholders; provided, however, that if any action is to be taken at such
meeting with respect to a consent, waiver, request, demand, notice,
authorization, direction or other action which may be given by the holders of
not less than a specified percentage in outstanding principal amount of the Debt
Securities, the Persons holding or representing such specified percentage in
outstanding principal amount of the Debt Securities will constitute a quorum. In
the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes of the time appointed for any such
meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Securityholders, be
dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not
less than 10 days as determined by the permanent chairman of the meeting prior
to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any such
adjourned meeting, such adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for a period
of not less than 10 days as determined by the permanent chairman of the meeting
prior to the adjournment of such adjourned meeting. Notice of the reconvening of
any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 8.02, except that
such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on
which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an
adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of
the outstanding principal amount of the Debt Securities which shall constitute a
quorum.

          Except as limited by the proviso in the first paragraph of Section
9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened
at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted by the affirmative vote
of the holders of not less than a majority in outstanding principal amount of
the Debt Securities; provided, however, that, except as limited by the proviso
in the first paragraph of Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any
consent, waiver, request, demand, notice, authorization, direction or other
action that this Indenture expressly provides may be given by the holders of not
less than a specified percentage in outstanding principal amount of the Debt
Securities may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened
and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid only by the affirmative vote of
the holders of not less than such specified percentage in outstanding principal
amount of the Debt Securities.

          Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of holders of
Debt Securities duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on
all the Securityholders, whether or not present or represented at the meeting.

        SECTION 8.08.  Written Consent Without a Meeting.
                       ---------------------------------

          Whenever under this Indenture, Securityholders are required or
permitted to take any action by vote, such action may be taken without a meeting
on written consent, setting forth the action so taken, signed by the
Securityholders of all outstanding Debt Securities entitled to vote thereon. No
consent shall be effective to take the action referred to therein unless, within
sixty days of the earliest dated consent delivered in the manner required by
this paragraph to the Trustee, written consents signed by a sufficient number of
Securityholders to take action are delivered to the Trustee at its Principal
Office. Delivery made to the Trustee at its Principal Office, shall be by hand
or by certificated or registered mail, return receipt requested. Written

                                      -44-

<PAGE>


consent thus given by the Securityholders of such number of Debt Securities as
is required hereunder, shall have the same effect as a valid vote of
Securityholders of such number of Debt Securities.

                                   ARTICLE IX

                             SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

        SECTION 9.01.  Supplemental Indentures without Consent of
                       ------------------------------------------
Securityholders.
---------------

          The Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee
may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures
supplemental hereto, without the consent of the Securityholders, for one or more
of the following purposes:

          (a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company, or
successive successions, and the assumption by the successor Person of the
covenants, agreements and obligations of the Company, pursuant to Article XI
hereof;

          (b) to add to the covenants of the Company such further covenants,
restrictions or conditions for the protection of the holders of Debt Securities
as the Board of Directors shall consider to be for the protection of the holders
of such Debt Securities, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and
continuance, of a Default in any of such additional covenants, restrictions or
conditions a Default or an Event of Default permitting the enforcement of all or
any of the several remedies provided in this Indenture as herein set forth;
provided, however, that in respect of any such additional covenant, restriction
or condition such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of
grace after default (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in
the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon
such default or may limit the remedies available to the Trustee upon such
default;

          (c) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein or in any supplemental indenture which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provision contained herein or in any supplemental
indenture, or to make or amend such other provisions in regard to matters or
questions arising under this Indenture; provided, that any such action shall not
adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Debt Securities;

          (d) to add to, delete from, or revise the terms of Debt Securities,
including, without limitation, any terms relating to the issuance, exchange,
registration or transfer of Debt Securities, including to provide for transfer
procedures and restrictions substantially similar to those applicable to the
Capital Securities, as required by Section 2.05 (for purposes of assuring that
no registration of Debt Securities is required under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended); provided, that any such action shall not adversely affect the
interests of the holders of the Debt Securities then outstanding (it being
understood, for purposes of this proviso, that transfer restrictions on Debt
Securities substantially similar to those applicable to Capital Securities shall
not be deemed to adversely affect the holders of the Debt Securities);

          (e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment
hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities and to add
to or change any of the


                                      -45-

<PAGE>

provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate
the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant
to the requirements of Section 6.10;

          (f) to make any change (other than as elsewhere provided in this
paragraph) that does not adversely affect the rights of any Securityholder in
any material respect; or

          (g) to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms
and conditions of the Debt Securities, to establish the form of any
certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of this Indenture
or the Debt Securities, or to add to the rights of the holders of Debt
Securities.

          The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in the
execution of any such supplemental indenture, to make any further appropriate
agreements and stipulations which may be therein contained and to accept the
conveyance, transfer and assignment of any property thereunder, but the Trustee
shall not be obligated to, but may in its discretion, enter into any such
supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee's own rights, duties or
immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

          Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this
Section 9.01 may be executed by the Company and the Trustee without the consent
of the holders of any of the Debt Securities at the time outstanding,
notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 9.02.

        SECTION 9.02. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Securityholders.
                      -------------------------------------------------------

          With the consent (evidenced as provided in Section 7.01) of the
holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Debt
Securities at the time outstanding affected by such supplemental indenture, the
Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may from time to
time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto
(which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, then in
effect, applicable to indentures qualified thereunder) for the purpose of adding
any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions
of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner
the rights of the holders of the Debt Securities; provided, however, that no
such supplemental indenture shall without such consent of the holders of each
Debt Security then outstanding and affected thereby (i) change the Maturity Date
of any Debt Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or any premium
thereon, or reduce the rate (or manner of calculation of the rate) or extend the
time of payment of interest thereon, or reduce (other than as a result of the
maturity or earlier redemption of any such Debt Security in accordance with the
terms of this Indenture and such Debt Security) or increase the aggregate
principal amount of Debt Securities then outstanding, or change any of the
redemption provisions, or make the principal thereof or any interest or premium
thereon payable in any coin or currency other than United States Dollars, or
impair or affect the right of any Securityholder to institute suit for payment
thereof or impair the right of repayment, if any, at the option of the holder,
or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Debt Securities the holders of which
are required to consent to any such supplemental indenture; and provided,
further, that if the Debt Securities are held by the Trust or a trustee of such
trust, such supplemental indenture shall not be effective until the holders of a
majority in Liquidation Amount of the outstanding Capital Securities shall have
consented to such supplemental indenture; provided, further, that if the


                                      -46-

<PAGE>


consent of the Securityholder of each outstanding Debt Security is required,
such supplemental indenture shall not be effective until each holder of the
outstanding Capital Securities shall have consented to such supplemental
indenture.

          Upon the request of the Company accompanied by a Board Resolution
authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon the
filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of Securityholders (and
holders of Capital Securities, if required) as aforesaid, the Trustee shall join
with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such
supplemental indenture affects the Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities
under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its
discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental
indenture.

          Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Trustee of any
supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Section, the Trustee
shall transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, a notice, prepared by the
Company, setting forth in general terms the substance of such supplemental
indenture, to the Securityholders as their names and addresses appear upon the
Debt Security Register. Any failure of the Trustee to mail such notice, or any
defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of
any such supplemental indenture.

          It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Securityholders under
this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental
indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such consent shall approve the
substance thereof.

        SECTION 9.03.  Effect of Supplemental Indentures.
                       ---------------------------------

          Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the
provisions of this Article IX, this Indenture shall be and be deemed to be
modified and amended in accordance therewith and the respective rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities under this Indenture
of the Trustee, the Company and the holders of Debt Securities shall thereafter
be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder subject in all respects to such
modifications and amendments and all the terms and conditions of any such
supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be part of the terms and
conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.

        SECTION 9.04.  Notation on Debt Securities.
                       ---------------------------

          Debt Securities authenticated and delivered after the execution of any
supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article IX may bear a
notation as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the
Company or the Trustee shall so determine, new Debt Securities so modified as to
conform, in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the Company, to any
modification of this Indenture contained in any such supplemental indenture may
be prepared and executed by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee or the
Authenticating Agent and delivered in exchange for the Debt Securities then
outstanding.

                                      -47-

<PAGE>



        SECTION 9.05. Evidence of Compliance of Supplemental Indenture to be
                      ------------------------------------------------------
furnished to Trustee.
--------------------

          The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 6.01 and 6.02,
shall, in addition to the documents required by Section 14.06, receive an
Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any
supplemental indenture executed pursuant hereto complies with the requirements
of this Article IX. The Trustee shall receive an Opinion of Counsel as
conclusive evidence that any supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this
Article IX is authorized or permitted by, and conforms to, the terms of this
Article IX and that it is proper for the Trustee under the provisions of this
Article IX to join in the execution thereof.

                                   ARTICLE X

                            REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

        SECTION 10.01.  Optional Redemption.
                        -------------------

          At any time the Company shall have the right, subject to the receipt
by the Company of prior approval from any regulatory authority with jurisdiction
over the Company if such approval is then required under applicable capital
guidelines or policies of such regulatory authority, to redeem the Debt
Securities, in whole or (provided that all accrued and unpaid interest has been
paid on all Debt Securities for all Interest Periods terminating on or prior to
such date) from time to time in part, on any March 15, June 15, September 15 or
December 15 on or after December 15, 2009 (the "Redemption Date"), at the
Redemption Price.

        SECTION 10.02.  Special Event Redemption.
                        ------------------------

          If a Special Event shall occur and be continuing, the Company shall
have the right, subject to the receipt by the Company of prior approval from any
regulatory authority with jurisdiction over the Company if such approval is then
required under applicable capital guidelines or policies of such regulatory
authority, to redeem the Debt Securities, in whole or in part, at any time
within 90 days following the occurrence of such Special Event (the "Special
Redemption Date"), at the Special Redemption Price.

        SECTION 10.03.  Notice of Redemption; Selection of Debt Securities.
                        --------------------------------------------------

          In case the Company shall desire to exercise the right to redeem all,
or, as the case may be, any part of the Debt Securities, it shall fix a date for
redemption and shall mail, or cause the Trustee to mail (at the expense of the
Company) a notice of such redemption at least 30 and not more than 60 days prior
to the date fixed for redemption to the holders of Debt Securities so to be
redeemed as a whole or in part at their last addresses as the same appear on the
Debt Security Register. Such mailing shall be by first class mail. The notice if
mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been
duly given, whether or not the holder receives such notice. In any case, failure
to give such notice by mail or any defect in the notice to the holder of any
Debt Security designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect
the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Debt Security.


                                      -48-

<PAGE>


          Each such notice of redemption shall specify the CUSIP number, if any,
of the Debt Securities to be redeemed, the date fixed for redemption, the
redemption price (or manner of calculation of the price) at which Debt
Securities are to be redeemed, the place or places of payment, that payment will
be made upon presentation and surrender of such Debt Securities, that interest
accrued to the date fixed for redemption will be paid as specified in said
notice, and that on and after said date interest thereon or on the portions
thereof to be redeemed will cease to accrue. If less than all the Debt
Securities are to be redeemed the notice of redemption shall specify the numbers
of the Debt Securities to be redeemed. In case the Debt Securities are to be
redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption shall state the portion of the
principal amount thereof to be redeemed and shall state that on and after the
date fixed for redemption, upon surrender of such Debt Security, a new Debt
Security or Debt Securities in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion
thereof will be issued.

          Prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the Redemption Date or the
Special Redemption Date specified in the notice of redemption given as provided
in this Section, the Company will deposit with the Trustee or with one or more
Paying Agents an amount of money sufficient to redeem on the redemption date all
the Debt Securities so called for redemption at the appropriate redemption
price, together with unpaid interest accrued to such date.

          The Company will give the Trustee notice not less than 45 nor more
than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date as to the Redemption Price at which
the Debt Securities are to be redeemed and the aggregate principal amount of
Debt Securities to be redeemed and the Trustee shall select, in such manner as
in its sole discretion it shall deem appropriate and fair, the Debt Securities
or portions thereof (in integral multiples of $1,000) to be redeemed.

        SECTION 10.04.  Payment of Debt Securities Called for Redemption.
                        ------------------------------------------------

          If notice of redemption has been given as provided in Section 10.03,
the Debt Securities or portions of Debt Securities with respect to which such
notice has been given shall become due and payable on the Redemption Date or the
Special Redemption Date (as the case may be) and at the place or places stated
in such notice at the applicable redemption price, together with interest
accrued to the date fixed for redemption, and on and after said Redemption Date
or the Special Redemption Date (unless the Company shall default in the payment
of such Debt Securities at the redemption price, together with unpaid interest
accrued thereon to said date) interest on the Debt Securities or portions of
Debt Securities so called for redemption shall cease to accrue. On presentation
and surrender of such Debt Securities at a place of payment specified in said
notice, such Debt Securities or the specified portions thereof shall be paid and
redeemed by the Company at the applicable redemption price, together with unpaid
interest accrued thereon to the Redemption Date or the Special Redemption Date
(as the case may be).

          Upon presentation of any Debt Security redeemed in part only, the
Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for
delivery to the holder thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Debt
Security or Debt Securities of authorized denominations in principal amount
equal to the unredeemed portion of the Debt Security so presented.


                                      -49-

<PAGE>


                                   ARTICLE XI

               CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE AND LEASE

        SECTION 11.01.  Company May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms.
                        -----------------------------------------------

          Nothing contained in this Indenture or in the Debt Securities shall
prevent any consolidation or merger of the Company with or into any other
corporation or corporations (whether or not affiliated with the Company) or
successive consolidations or mergers in which the Company or its successor or
successors shall be a party or parties, or shall prevent any sale, conveyance,
transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the property or
capital stock of the Company or its successor or successors to any other
corporation (whether or not affiliated with the Company, or its successor or
successors) authorized to acquire and operate the same; provided, however, that
the Company hereby covenants and agrees that, (i) upon any such consolidation,
merger (where the Company is not the surviving corporation), sale, conveyance,
transfer or other disposition, the successor entity shall be a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the United States or any state thereof
or the District of Columbia (unless such corporation has (1) agreed to make all
payments due in respect of the Debt Securities or, if outstanding, the Capital
Securities and Capital Securities Guarantee without withholding or deduction
for, or on account of, any taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental
charges under the laws or regulations of the jurisdiction of organization or
residence (for tax purposes) of such corporation or any political subdivision or
taxing authority thereof or therein unless required by applicable law, in which
case such corporation shall have agreed to pay such additional amounts as shall
be required so that the net amounts received and retained by the holders of such
Debt Securities or Capital Securities, as the case may be, after payment of all
taxes (including withholding taxes), duties, assessments or other governmental
charges, will be equal to the amounts that such holders would have received and
retained had no such taxes (including withholding taxes), duties, assessments or
other governmental charges been imposed, (2) irrevocably and unconditionally
consented and submitted to the jurisdiction of any United States federal court
or New York state court, in each case located in The City of New York, Borough
of Manhattan, in respect of any action, suit or proceeding against it arising
out of or in connection with this Indenture, the Debt Securities, the Capital
Securities Guarantee or the Declaration and irrevocably and unconditionally
waived, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection to the laying of
venue in any such court or that any such action, suit or proceeding has been
brought in an inconvenient forum and (3) irrevocably appointed an agent in The
City of New York for service of process in any action, suit or proceeding
referred to in clause (2) above) and such corporation expressly assumes all of
the obligations of the Company under the Debt Securities, this Indenture, the
Capital Securities Guarantee and the Declaration and (ii) after giving effect to
any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition,
no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

        SECTION 11.02.  Successor Entity to be Substituted.
                        ----------------------------------

          In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer
or other disposition contemplated in Section 11.01 and upon the assumption by
the successor entity, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the
Trustee and reasonably satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of the due and
punctual payment of the principal of and premium, if any,



                                      -50-

<PAGE>


and interest on all of the Debt Securities and the due and punctual performance
and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be
performed or observed by the Company, such successor entity shall succeed to and
be substituted for the Company, with the same effect as if it had been named
herein as the Company, and thereupon the predecessor entity shall be relieved of
any further liability or obligation hereunder or upon the Debt Securities. Such
successor entity thereupon may cause to be signed, and may issue either in its
own name or in the name of the Company, any or all of the Debt Securities
issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company
and delivered to the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent; and, upon the order of
such successor entity instead of the Company and subject to all the terms,
conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee or the
Authenticating Agent shall authenticate and deliver any Debt Securities which
previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Company,
to the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent for authentication, and any Debt
Securities which such successor entity thereafter shall cause to be signed and
delivered to the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent for that purpose. All the
Debt Securities so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and
benefit under this Indenture as the Debt Securities theretofore or thereafter
issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Debt
Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.

        SECTION 11.03.  Opinion of Counsel to be Given to Trustee.
                        -----------------------------------------

          The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 6.01 and 6.02,
shall receive, in addition to the Opinion of Counsel required by Section 9.05,
an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any consolidation, merger,
sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, and any assumption, permitted
or required by the terms of this Article XI complies with the provisions of this
Article XI.

                                  ARTICLE XII

                     SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE

        SECTION 12.01.  Discharge of Indenture.
                        ----------------------

          When (a) the Company shall deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all
Debt Securities theretofore authenticated (other than any Debt Securities which
shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which shall have been replaced or
paid as provided in Section 2.06) and not theretofore canceled, or (b) all the
Debt Securities not theretofore canceled or delivered to the Trustee for
cancellation shall have become due and payable, or are by their terms to become
due and payable within one year or are to be called for redemption within one
year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of
redemption, and the Company shall deposit with the Trustee, in trust, funds,
which shall be immediately due and payable, sufficient to pay at maturity or
upon redemption all of the Debt Securities (other than any Debt Securities which
shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which shall have been replaced or
paid as provided in Section 2.06) not theretofore canceled or delivered to the
Trustee for cancellation, including principal and premium, if any, and interest
due or to become due to such date of maturity or redemption date, as the case
may be, but excluding, however, the amount of any moneys for the payment of
principal of, and premium, if any, or interest on the Debt


                                      -51-

<PAGE>

Securities (1) theretofore repaid to the Company in accordance with the
provisions of Section 12.04, or (2) paid to any state or to the District of
Columbia pursuant to its unclaimed property or similar laws, and if in the case
of either clause (a) or clause (b) the Company shall also pay or cause to be
paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company, then this Indenture shall
cease to be of further effect except for the provisions of Sections 2.05, 2.06,
3.01, 3.02, 3.04, 6.06, 6.09 and 12.04 hereof, which shall survive until such
Debt Securities shall mature or are redeemed, as the case may be, and are paid
in full. Thereafter, Sections 6.06, 6.09 and 12.04 shall survive, and the
Trustee, on demand of the Company accompanied by an Officers' Certificate and an
Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided
for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been
complied with, and at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper
instruments acknowledging satisfaction of and discharging this Indenture, the
Company, however, hereby agreeing to reimburse the Trustee for any costs or
expenses thereafter reasonably and properly incurred by the Trustee in
connection with this Indenture or the Debt Securities.

        SECTION 12.02.  Deposited Moneys to be Held in Trust by Trustee.
                        -----------------------------------------------

          Subject to the provisions of Section 12.04, all moneys deposited with
the Trustee pursuant to Section 12.01 shall be held in trust and applied by it
to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the
Company if acting as its own Paying Agent), to the holders of the particular
Debt Securities for the payment of which such moneys have been deposited with
the Trustee, of all sums due and to become due thereon for principal, and
premium, if any, and interest.

        SECTION 12.03.  Paying Agent to Repay Moneys Held.
                        ---------------------------------

          Upon the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, all moneys then
held by any Paying Agent of the Debt Securities (other than the Trustee) shall,
upon demand of the Company, be repaid to the Company or paid to the Trustee, and
thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with
respect to such moneys.

        SECTION 12.04.  Return of Unclaimed Moneys.
                        --------------------------

          Any moneys deposited with or paid to the Trustee or any Paying Agent
for payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, or interest on Debt
Securities and not applied but remaining unclaimed by the holders of Debt
Securities for two years after the date upon which the principal of, and
premium, if any, or interest on such Debt Securities, as the case may be, shall
have become due and payable, shall be repaid to the Company by the Trustee or
such Paying Agent on written demand; and the holder of any of the Debt
Securities shall thereafter look only to the Company for any payment which such
holder may be entitled to collect and all liability of the Trustee or such
Paying Agent with respect to such moneys shall thereupon cease.



                                      -52-
<PAGE>


                                  ARTICLE XIII

         IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

        SECTION 13.01.  Indenture and Debt Securities Solely Corporate
                        ----------------------------------------------
Obligations.
-----------

          No recourse for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or
interest on any Debt Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in
respect thereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or
agreement of the Company in this Indenture or in any supplemental indenture, or
in any such Debt Security, or because of the creation of any indebtedness
represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder,
officer, director, employee or agent, as such, past, present or future, of the
Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation of the Company, either
directly or through the Company or any successor corporation of the Company,
whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the
enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly
understood that all such liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a
condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and
the issue of the Debt Securities.

                                  ARTICLE XIV

                            MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

        SECTION 14.01.  Successors.
                        ----------

          All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements of the
Company contained in this Indenture shall bind its successors and assigns
whether so expressed or not.

        SECTION 14.02.  Official Acts by Successor Entity.
                        ---------------------------------

          Any act or proceeding by any provision of this Indenture authorized or
required to be done or performed by any board, committee or officer of the
Company shall and may be done and performed with like force and effect by the
like board, committee, officer or other authorized Person of any entity that
shall at the time be the lawful successor of the Company.

        SECTION 14.03.  Surrender of Company Powers.
                        ---------------------------

          The Company by instrument in writing executed by authority of 2/3
(two-thirds) of its Board of Directors and delivered to the Trustee may
surrender any of the powers reserved to the Company and thereupon such power so
surrendered shall terminate both as to the Company and as to any permitted
successor.

        SECTION 14.04.  Addresses for Notices, etc.
                        ---------------------------

          Any notice or demand which by any provision of this Indenture is
required or permitted to be given or served by the Trustee or by the
Securityholders on the Company may be given or served in writing, duly signed by
the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied (which telecopy
shall be followed by notice delivered or mailed by first class mail) or mailed
by first class mail to the Company at:


                                      -53-

<PAGE>



                              Central Bancorp, Inc.
                               399 Highland Avenue
                         Somerville, Massachusetts 02144
                          Attention: Michael K. Devlin

          Any notice, direction, request or demand by any Securityholder or the
Company to or upon the Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given
or made, for all purposes, if given or made in writing at the office of JPMorgan
Chase Bank at:

                         600 Travis Street, 50th Floor
                              Houston, Texas 77002
      Attn: Institutional Trust Services - Central Bancorp Capital Trust I

        SECTION 14.05.  Governing Law.
                        -------------

          This Indenture and the Debt Securities shall each be governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard
to conflict of laws principles of said State other than Section 5-1401 of the
New York General Obligations Law.

        SECTION 14.06.  Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.
                        ------------------------------------------------

          Upon any application or demand by the Company to the Trustee to take
any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture, the Company shall
furnish to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate stating that in the opinion of
the signers all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture
relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of
Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions
precedent have been complied with (except that no such Opinion of Counsel is
required to be furnished to the Trustee in connection with the authentication
and issuance of Debt Securities issued on the date of this Indenture).

          Each certificate or opinion provided for in this Indenture and
delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Indenture (except certificates delivered pursuant to
Section 3.05) shall include (a) a statement that the person making such
certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions
relating thereto; (b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the
examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in
such certificate or opinion are based; (c) a statement that, in the opinion of
such person, he or she has made such examination or investigation as is
necessary to enable him or her to express an informed opinion as to whether or
not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and (d) a statement as to
whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has
been complied with.

        SECTION 14.07.  Non-Business Days.
                        -----------------

          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if any
Interest Payment Date, other than on the Maturity Date, any Redemption Date or
the Special Redemption Date, falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then any
interest payable will be paid on, and such Interest Payment Date will be moved
to, the next succeeding Business Day, and additional interest will accrue for
each day that such payment is delayed as a result thereof. If the Maturity


                                      -54-

<PAGE>


Date, any Redemption Date or the Special Redemption Date falls on a day that is
not a Business Day, then the principal, premium, if any, and/or interest payable
on such date will be paid on the next succeeding Business Day, and no additional
interest will accrue in respect of such payment made on such next succeeding
Business Day.

        SECTION 14.08.  Table of Contents, Headings, etc.
                        ---------------------------------

          The table of contents and the titles and headings of the articles and
sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only,
are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict
any of the terms or provisions hereof.

        SECTION 14.09.  Execution in Counterparts.
                        -------------------------

          This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but
one and the same instrument.

        SECTION 14.10.  Severability.
                        ------------

          In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Indenture
or in the Debt Securities shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability
shall not affect any other provisions of this Indenture or of such Debt
Securities, but this Indenture and such Debt Securities shall be construed as if
such invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained
herein or therein.

        SECTION 14.11.  Assignment.
                        ----------

          Subject to Article XI, the Company will have the right at all times to
assign any of its rights or obligations under this Indenture and the Debt
Securities to a direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company;
provided, however, that, in the event of any such assignment, the Company will
remain liable for all such obligations. Subject to the foregoing, this Indenture
is binding upon and inures to the benefit of the parties hereto and their
respective successors and assigns. This Indenture may not otherwise be assigned
by the parties thereto.

        SECTION 14.12.  Acknowledgment of Rights.
                        ------------------------

          The Company acknowledges that, with respect to any Debt Securities
held by the Trust or the Institutional Trustee of the Trust, if the
Institutional Trustee of the Trust fails to enforce its rights under this
Indenture as the holder of Debt Securities held as the assets of the Trust after
the holders of a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities of the
Trust have so directed in writing such Institutional Trustee, a holder of record
of such Capital Securities may to the fullest extent permitted by law institute
legal proceedings directly against the Company to enforce such Institutional
Trustee's rights under this Indenture without first instituting any legal
proceedings against such Institutional Trustee or any other Person.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing and such event is attributable to the failure of the Company to pay
interest (or premium, if any) or principal on the Debt Securities on the date
such interest (or premium, if any) or principal is


                                      -55-

<PAGE>


otherwise due and payable (or in the case of redemption, on the redemption
date), the Company acknowledges that a holder of record of Capital Securities of
the Trust may directly institute a proceeding against the Company for
enforcement of payment to such holder directly of the principal of (or premium,
if any) or interest on the Debt Securities having an aggregate principal amount
equal to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities of such
holder on or after the respective due date specified in the Debt Securities.

                                   ARTICLE XV

                        SUBORDINATION OF DEBT SECURITIES

        SECTION 15.01.  Agreement to Subordinate.
                        ------------------------

          The Company covenants and agrees, and each holder of Debt Securities
issued hereunder and under any supplemental indenture (the "Additional
Provisions") by such Securityholder's acceptance thereof likewise covenants and
agrees, that all Debt Securities shall be issued subject to the provisions of
this Article XV; and each holder of a Debt Security, whether upon original issue
or upon transfer or assignment thereof, accepts and agrees to be bound by such
provisions.

          The payment by the Company of the payments due on all Debt Securities
issued hereunder and under any Additional Provisions shall, to the extent and in
the manner hereinafter set forth, be subordinated and junior in right of payment
to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness of the Company, whether
outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.

          No provision of this Article XV shall prevent the occurrence of any
Default or Event of Default hereunder.

        SECTION 15.02.  Default on Senior Indebtedness.
                        ------------------------------

          In the event and during the continuation of any default by the Company
in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other payment due on any
Senior Indebtedness of the Company following any applicable grace period, or in
the event that the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness of the Company has been
accelerated because of a default, and such acceleration has not been rescinded
or canceled and such Senior Indebtedness has not been paid in full, then, in
either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to the
payments due on the Debt Securities.

          In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall be
received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding
paragraph of this Section 15.02, such payment shall, subject to Section 15.06,
be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the
holders of Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the
trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior
Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, but
only to the extent that the holders of the Senior Indebtedness (or their
representative or representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing
within 90 days of such payment of the amounts then due and owing on the


                                      -56-

<PAGE>


Senior Indebtedness and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee
shall be paid to the holders of Senior Indebtedness.

        SECTION 15.03.  Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy.
                        ------------------------------------

          Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets of the
Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to
creditors upon any dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or reorganization of
the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary or in bankruptcy, insolvency,
receivership or other proceedings, all amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness
of the Company shall first be paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in
money in accordance with its terms, before any payment is made by the Company on
the Debt Securities; and upon any such dissolution or winding-up or liquidation
or reorganization, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the
Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to
which the Securityholders or the Trustee would be entitled to receive from the
Company, except for the provisions of this Article XV, shall be paid by the
Company, or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent
or other Person making such payment or distribution, or by the Securityholders
or by the Trustee under this Indenture if received by them or it, directly to
the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company (pro rata to such holders on
the basis of the respective amounts of Senior Indebtedness held by such holders,
as calculated by the Company) or their representative or representatives, or to
the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments
evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective
interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in
full, in money or money's worth, after giving effect to any concurrent payment
or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any
payment or distribution is made to the Securityholders.

          In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or
distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash,
property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing, shall be received by the
Trustee before all Senior Indebtedness of the Company is paid in full, or
provision is made for such payment in money in accordance with its terms, such
payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be
paid over or delivered to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their
representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any
indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness
may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by
the Company, for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of the
Company remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness
in full in money in accordance with its terms, after giving effect to any
concurrent payment or distribution to or for the benefit of the holders of such
Senior Indebtedness.

          For purposes of this Article XV, the words "cash, property or
securities" shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as
reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation
provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which
is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article XV with respect
to the Debt Securities to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of the Company,
that may at the time be outstanding, provided, that (a) such Senior Indebtedness
is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any such
reorganization or readjustment, and (b) the rights of the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness are not, without the consent of such



                                      -57-

<PAGE>


holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation of
the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another corporation or the
liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance, transfer or
other disposition of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an
entirety, to another corporation upon the terms and conditions provided for in
Article XI of this Indenture shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up,
liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 15.03 if such
other corporation shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or
transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article XI of this Indenture.
Nothing in Section 15.02 or in this Section 15.03 shall apply to claims of, or
payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06 of this Indenture.

        SECTION 15.04.  Subrogation.
                        -----------

          Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness of the
Company, the Securityholders shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of
such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property
or securities of the Company applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until all
payments due on the Debt Securities shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes
of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Securityholders or
the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article XV, and
no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article XV to or for the
benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by Securityholders or the
Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of
Senior Indebtedness of the Company, and the holders of the Debt Securities be
deemed to be a payment or distribution by the Company to or on account of such
Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article XV are
and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of the
holders of the Debt Securities, on the one hand, and the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness, on the other hand.

          Nothing contained in this Article XV or elsewhere in this Indenture,
any Additional Provisions or in the Debt Securities is intended to or shall
impair, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior
Indebtedness of the Company, and the holders of the Debt Securities, the
obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the
holders of the Debt Securities all payments on the Debt Securities as and when
the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is
intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the holders of the Debt
Securities and creditors of the Company, other than the holders of Senior
Indebtedness of the Company, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the
Trustee or the holder of any Debt Security from exercising all remedies
otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject
to the rights, if any, under this Article XV of the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company received
upon the exercise of any such remedy.

          Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to
in this Article XV, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article VI of this
Indenture, and the Securityholders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon
any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such
dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending,
or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidation trustee,
agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the
Trustee or to the Securityholders, for the purposes of ascertaining the Persons
entitled to participate in such


                                      -58-

<PAGE>


distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the
Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or
distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article XV.

        SECTION 15.05.  Trustee to Effectuate Subordination.
                        -----------------------------------

          Each Securityholder by such Securityholder's acceptance thereof
authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Securityholder's behalf to take such
action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination
provided in this Article XV and appoints the Trustee such Securityholder's
attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

        SECTION 15.06.  Notice by the Company.
                        ---------------------

          The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible Officer
of the Trustee at the Principal Office of the Trustee of any fact known to the
Company that would prohibit the making of any payment of moneys to or by the
Trustee in respect of the Debt Securities pursuant to the provisions of this
Article XV. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article XV or any other
provision of this Indenture or any Additional Provisions, the Trustee shall not
be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the
making of any payment of moneys to or by the Trustee in respect of the Debt
Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Article XV, unless and until a
Responsible Officer of the Trustee at the Principal Office of the Trustee shall
have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder or holders of
Senior Indebtedness or from any trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any
such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article VI of
this Indenture, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts
exist; provided, however, that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice
provided for in this Section 15.06 at least two Business Days prior to the date
upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose
(including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of (or premium, if
any) or interest on any Debt Security), then, anything herein contained to the
contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to
receive such money and to apply the same to the purposes for which they were
received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that may be
received by it within two Business Days prior to such date.

          The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article VI of this
Indenture, shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a
written notice by a Person representing himself or herself to be a holder of
Senior Indebtedness of the Company (or a trustee or representative on behalf of
such holder) to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of such
Senior Indebtedness or a trustee or representative on behalf of any such holder
or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further
evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of such
Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to
this Article XV, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the
reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such Senior
Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to
participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the
rights of such Person under this Article XV, and, if such evidence is not
furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial
determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.


                                      -59-

<PAGE>



        SECTION 15.07.  Rights of the Trustee, Holders of Senior Indebtedness.
                        -----------------------------------------------------

          The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the
rights set forth in this Article XV in respect of any Senior Indebtedness at any
time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Indebtedness,
and nothing in this Indenture or any Additional Provisions shall deprive the
Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

          With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company, the
Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and
obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article XV, and no implied
covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness
shall be read into this Indenture or any Additional Provisions against the
Trustee. The Trustee shall not owe or be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the
holders of such Senior Indebtedness and, subject to the provisions of Article VI
of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of such Senior
Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to Securityholders, the Company or
any other Person money or assets to which any holder of such Senior Indebtedness
shall be entitled by virtue of this Article XV or otherwise.

          Nothing in this Article XV shall apply to claims of, or payments to,
the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06.

        SECTION 15.08.  Subordination May Not Be Impaired.
                        ---------------------------------

          No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness of
the Company to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any
way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the
Company, or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or
by any noncompliance by the Company, with the terms, provisions and covenants of
this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder may
have or otherwise be charged with.

          Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph,
the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company may, at any time and from time
to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Securityholders,
without incurring responsibility to the Securityholders and without impairing or
releasing the subordination provided in this Article XV or the obligations
hereunder of the holders of the Debt Securities to the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (a) change the manner, place
or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, such
Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner such Senior
Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which
such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (b) sell, exchange, release or
otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing such
Senior Indebtedness; (c) release any Person liable in any manner for the
collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and (d) exercise or refrain from
exercising any rights against the Company, and any other Person.

          JPMorgan Chase Bank, in its capacity as Trustee, hereby accepts the
trusts in this Indenture declared and provided, upon the terms and conditions
herein above set forth.


                                      -60-


<PAGE>


          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to
be duly executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of
the day and year first above written.

                                   CENTRAL BANCORP, INC.


                                   By:/s/ John D. Doherty
                                   Name:  John D. Doherty
                                   Title: Chairman, President and Chief
                                          Executive Officer



                                   JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, AS TRUSTEE


                                   By:/s/ Maria D. Calzado
                                   Name:  Maria D. Calzado
                                   Title: Vice President






                                      -61-
<PAGE>



                                    EXHIBIT A

                    FORM OF JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITY
                                    DUE 2034

                           [FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY]
                            ------------------------

         THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933,
AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR ANY OTHER
APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR
PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED,
ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR
UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS
ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY ONLY
(A) TO THE COMPANY, (B) PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT ("RULE
144A"), TO A PERSON THE HOLDER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A "QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL
BUYER" AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE
ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE
TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (C) TO A "NON U.S. PERSON" IN
AN "OFFSHORE TRANSACTION" PURSUANT TO REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (D)
PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES
ACT TO AN "ACCREDITED INVESTOR" WITHIN THE MEANING OF SUBPARAGRAPH (a) (1), (2),
(3) OR (7) OF RULE 501 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT IS ACQUIRING THE SECURITY
FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF SUCH AN "ACCREDITED INVESTOR," FOR
INVESTMENT PURPOSES AND NOT WITH A VIEW TO, OR FOR OFFER OR SALE IN CONNECTION
WITH, ANY DISTRIBUTION IN VIOLATION OF THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (E) PURSUANT TO
ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES
ACT, SUBJECT TO THE COMPANY'S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER
PURSUANT TO CLAUSES (D) OR (E) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL,
CERTIFICATION AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO IT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
INDENTURE, A COPY OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE COMPANY. THE HOLDER OF THIS
SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES THAT IT WILL COMPLY WITH THE FOREGOING
RESTRICTIONS.

         THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES, REPRESENTS
AND WARRANTS THAT IT WILL NOT ENGAGE IN HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS
SECURITY UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTIONS ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT.

         THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF ALSO AGREES,
REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT IT IS NOT AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT,



                                       A-1

<PAGE>


INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT OR OTHER PLAN OR ARRANGEMENT SUBJECT TO TITLE I OF
THE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED ("ERISA"), OR
SECTION 4975 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE "CODE"),
(EACH A "PLAN"), OR AN ENTITY WHOSE UNDERLYING ASSETS INCLUDE "PLAN ASSETS" BY
REASON OF ANY PLAN'S INVESTMENT IN THE ENTITY AND NO PERSON INVESTING "PLAN
ASSETS" OF ANY PLAN MAY ACQUIRE OR HOLD THIS SECURITY OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN,
UNLESS SUCH PURCHASER OR HOLDER IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE EXEMPTIVE RELIEF AVAILABLE
UNDER U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PROHIBITED TRANSACTION CLASS EXEMPTION 96-23,
95-60, 91-38, 90-1 OR 84-14 OR ANOTHER APPLICABLE EXEMPTION OR ITS PURCHASE AND
HOLDING OF THIS SECURITY IS NOT PROHIBITED BY SECTION 406 OF ERISA OR SECTION
4975 OF THE CODE WITH RESPECT TO SUCH PURCHASE OR HOLDING. ANY PURCHASER OR
HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE
REPRESENTED BY ITS PURCHASE AND HOLDING THEREOF THAT EITHER (i) IT IS NOT AN
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 3(3) OF ERISA, OR A PLAN TO
WHICH SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE IS APPLICABLE, A TRUSTEE OR OTHER PERSON ACTING
ON BEHALF OF AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN OR PLAN, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY
USING THE ASSETS OF ANY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN OR PLAN TO FINANCE SUCH PURCHASE,
OR (ii) SUCH PURCHASE WILL NOT RESULT IN A PROHIBITED TRANSACTION UNDER SECTION
406 OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE FOR WHICH THERE IS NO APPLICABLE
STATUTORY OR ADMINISTRATIVE EXEMPTION.

         IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER, THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY WILL
DELIVER TO THE COMPANY AND TRUSTEE SUCH CERTIFICATES AND OTHER INFORMATION AS
MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE INDENTURE TO CONFIRM THAT THE TRANSFER COMPLIES WITH THE
FOREGOING RESTRICTIONS.

         THIS SECURITY WILL BE ISSUED AND MAY BE TRANSFERRED ONLY IN BLOCKS
HAVING A PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOT LESS THAN $100,000 AND MULTIPLES OF $1,000 IN
EXCESS THEREOF. ANY ATTEMPTED TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IN A BLOCK HAVING A
PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF LESS THAN $100,000 SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE VOID AND OF NO
LEGAL EFFECT WHATSOEVER. ANY SUCH PURPORTED TRANSFEREE SHALL BE DEEMED NOT TO BE
THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY FOR ANY PURPOSE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
RECEIPT OF DISTRIBUTIONS ON THIS SECURITY, AND SUCH PURPORTED TRANSFEREE SHALL
BE DEEMED TO HAVE NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER IN THIS SECURITY.

         THIS OBLIGATION IS NOT A DEPOSIT AND IS NOT INSURED BY THE UNITED
STATES OR ANY AGENCY OR FUND OF THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT
INSURANCE CORPORATION. THIS OBLIGATION IS SUBORDINATED TO THE CLAIMS OF
DEPOSITORS AND THE CLAIMS OF GENERAL AND SECURED CREDITORS OF THE COMPANY, IS
INELIGIBLE AS COLLATERAL FOR A LOAN BY THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES
AND IS NOT SECURED.


                                      A-2


<PAGE>


               Form of Junior Subordinated Debt Security due 2034

                                       of

                              Central Bancorp, Inc.

         Central Bancorp, Inc., a bank holding company incorporated in
Massachusetts (the "Company"), for value received promises to pay to JPMorgan
Chase Bank, not in its individual capacity but solely as Institutional Trustee
for Central Bancorp Capital Trust I, a Delaware statutory trust (the "Holder"),
or registered assigns, the principal sum of Five Million Two Hundred Fifty Eight
Thousand Dollars on December 15, 2034 and to pay interest on said principal sum
from September 16, 2004, or from the most recent interest payment date (each
such date, an "Interest Payment Date") to which interest has been paid or duly
provided for, quarterly (subject to deferral as set forth herein) in arrears on
March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15 of each year commencing December
15, 2004, at a variable per annum rate equal to LIBOR (as defined in the
Indenture) plus 2.44% (the "Interest Rate") (provided, however, that the
Interest Rate for any Interest Payment Period may not exceed the highest rate
permitted by New York law, as the same may be modified by United States law of
general applicability) until the principal hereof shall have become due and
payable, and on any overdue principal and (without duplication and to the extent
that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) on any
overdue installment of interest at an annual rate equal to the Interest Rate in
effect for each such Extension Period compounded quarterly. The amount of
interest payable on any Interest Payment Date shall be computed on the basis of
a 360-day year and the actual number of days elapsed in the relevant interest
period. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if any
Interest Payment Date, other than on the Maturity Date, any Redemption Date or
the Special Redemption Date, falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then any
interest payable will be paid on, and such Interest Payment Date will be moved
to, the next succeeding Business Day, and additional interest will accrue for
each day that such payment is delayed as a result thereof. If the Maturity Date,
any Redemption Date or the Special Redemption Date falls on a day that is not a
Business Day, then the principal, premium, if any, and/or interest payable on
such date will be paid on the next succeeding Business Day, and no additional
interest will accrue in respect of such payment made on such next succeeding
Business Day. The interest installment so payable, and punctually paid or duly
provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in the Indenture,
be paid to the Person in whose name this Debt Security (or one or more
Predecessor Securities, as defined in said Indenture) is registered at the close
of business on the regular record date for such interest installment, except
that interest and any Deferred Interest payable on the Maturity Date shall be
paid to the Person to whom principal is paid. Any such interest installment not
punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the
registered holders on such regular record date and may be paid to the Person in
whose name this Debt Security (or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities) is
registered at the close of business on a special record date to be fixed by the
Trustee for the payment of such defaulted interest, notice whereof shall be
given to the registered holders of the Debt Securities not less than 10 days
prior to such special record date, all as more fully provided in the Indenture.
The principal of and interest on this Debt Security shall be payable at the
office or agency of the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company)
maintained for that purpose in any coin or currency of the United States of
America that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and
private debts; provided, however,


                                      A-3

<PAGE>


that payment of interest may be made at the option of the Company by check
mailed to the registered holder at such address as shall appear in the Debt
Security Register or by wire transfer or immediately available funds to an
account appropriately designated by the holder hereof. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, so long as the holder of this Debt Security is the Institutional
Trustee, payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on this
Debt Security shall be made in immediately available funds when due at such
place and to such account as may be designated by the Institutional Trustee. All
payments in respect of this Debt Security shall be payable in any coin or
currency of the United States of America that at the time of payment is legal
tender for payment of public and private debts.

         Upon submission of Notice (as defined in the Indenture) the Company,
acting in good faith, shall have the right, from time to time and without
causing an Event of Default, to defer payments of interest on the Debt
Securities by extending the interest distribution period on the Debt Securities
at any time and from time to time during the term of the Debt Securities, for up
to 20 consecutive quarterly periods (each such extended interest distribution
period, an "Extension Period"), during which Extension Period no interest shall
be due and payable (except any Additional Interest that may be due and payable).
During any Extension Period, interest will continue to accrue on the Debt
Securities, and interest on such accrued interest (such accrued interest and
interest thereon referred to herein as "Deferred Interest") will accrue at an
annual rate equal to the Interest Rate applicable during such Extension Period,
compounded quarterly from the date such Deferred Interest would have been
payable were it not for the Extension Period, to the extent permitted by law. No
Extension Period may end on a date other than an Interest Payment Date. At the
end of any such Extension Period the Company shall pay all Deferred Interest
then accrued and unpaid on the Debt Securities; provided, however, that no
Extension Period may extend beyond the Maturity Date; and provided, further,
however, during any such Extension Period, the Company may not (i) declare or
pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire, or make a
liquidation payment with respect to, any of the Company's capital stock or (ii)
make any payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on or repay,
repurchase or redeem any debt securities of the Company that rank pari passu in
all respects with or junior in interest to the Debt Securities or (iii) make any
payment under any guarantees of the Company that rank in all respects pari passu
with or junior in respect to the Capital Securities Guarantee (other than (a)
repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the
Company (A) in connection with any employment contract, benefit plan or other
similar arrangement with or for the benefit of one or more employees, officers,
directors or consultants, (B) in connection with a dividend reinvestment or
stockholder stock purchase plan or (C) in connection with the issuance of
capital stock of the Company (or securities convertible into or exercisable for
such capital stock), as consideration in an acquisition transaction entered into
prior to the applicable Extension Period, (b) as a result of any exchange,
reclassification, combination or conversion of any class or series of the
Company's capital stock (or any capital stock of a subsidiary of the Company)
for any class or series of the Company's capital stock or of any class or series
of the Company's indebtedness for any class or series of the Company's capital
stock, (c) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Company's
capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital
stock or the security being converted or exchanged, (d) any declaration of a
dividend in connection with any stockholder's rights plan, or the issuance of
rights, stock or other property under any stockholder's rights plan, or the
redemption or repurchase of rights pursuant thereto, or (e) any dividend in the
form of stock, warrants, options or other rights where the dividend stock


                                      A-4

<PAGE>


or the stock issuable upon exercise of such warrants, options or other rights is
the same stock as that on which the dividend is being paid or ranks PARI PASSU
with or junior to such stock). Prior to the termination of any Extension Period,
the Company may further extend such Extension Period; provided, that no
Extension Period (including all previous and further consecutive extensions that
are part of such Extension Period) shall exceed 20 consecutive quarterly
periods. Upon the termination of any Extension Period and upon the payment of
all Deferred Interest, the Company may commence a new Extension Period, subject
to the foregoing requirements. No interest or Deferred Interest shall be due and
payable during an Extension Period, except at the end thereof, but Deferred
Interest shall accrue upon each installment of interest that would otherwise
have been due and payable during such Extension Period until such installment is
paid. The Company must give the Trustee notice of its election to begin or
extend an Extension Period at least one Business Day prior to the regular record
date applicable to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date.

         The indebtedness evidenced by this Debt Security is, to the extent
provided in the Indenture, subordinate and junior in right of payment to the
prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, and this Debt Security is
issued subject to the provisions of the Indenture with respect thereto. Each
holder of this Debt Security, by accepting the same, (a) agrees to and shall be
bound by such provisions, (b) authorizes and directs the Trustee on such
holder's behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to
acknowledge or effectuate the subordination so provided and (c) appoints the
Trustee such holder's attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes. Each
holder hereof, by such holder's acceptance hereof, hereby waives all notice of
the acceptance of the subordination provisions contained herein and in the
Indenture by each holder of Senior Indebtedness, whether now outstanding or
hereafter incurred, and waives reliance by each such holder upon said
provisions.

         The Company waives diligence, presentment, demand for payment, notice
of nonpayment, notice of protest, and all other demands and notices.

         This Debt Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the
Indenture hereinafter referred to and shall not be valid or become obligatory
for any purpose until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been
signed by or on behalf of the Trustee.

         The provisions of this Debt Security are continued on the reverse side
hereof and such continued provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect
as though fully set forth at this place.


                                      A-5

<PAGE>


         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has duly executed this certificate.

                                   CENTRAL BANCORP, INC.

                                   By:
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                   Name:
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                   Title:
                                         ---------------------------------------


         Dated:__________________, 2004


                          CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
                          -----------------------------

         This is one of the Debt Securities referred to in the within-mentioned
Indenture.

                                      JPMorgan Chase Bank, not in its individual
                                      capacity but solely as Trustee


                                      By:
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                                 Authorized Signatory

         Dated:__________________, 2004







                                      A-6


<PAGE>


                          [FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY]

         This Debt Security is one of a duly authorized series of Debt
Securities of the Company, all issued or to be issued pursuant to an Indenture
(the "Indenture"), dated as of September 16, 2004, duly executed and delivered
between the Company and JPMorgan Chase Bank, as Trustee (the "Trustee"), to
which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made
for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and the holders of the Debt
Securities (referred to herein as the "Debt Securities") of which this Debt
Security is a part. The summary of the terms of this Debt Security contained
herein does not purport to be complete and is qualified by reference to the
Indenture.

         Upon the occurrence and continuation of a Tax Event, an Investment
Company Event or a Capital Treatment Event (each a "Special Event"), this Debt
Security may become due and payable, in whole or in part, at any time, within 90
days following the occurrence of such Tax Event, Investment Company Event or
Capital Treatment Event (the "Special Redemption Date"), as the case may be, at
the Special Redemption Price.

         The Company shall also have the right to redeem this Debt Security at
the option of the Company, in whole or in part, on any March 15, June 15,
September 15 or December 15 on or after December 15, 2009 (a "Redemption Date"),
at the Redemption Price.

         Any redemption pursuant to the preceding paragraph will be made,
subject to the receipt by the Company of prior approval from any regulatory
authority with jurisdiction over the Company if such approval is then required
under applicable capital guidelines or policies of such regulatory authority,
upon not less than 30 days' nor more than 60 days' notice. If the Debt
Securities are only partially redeemed by the Company, the Debt Securities will
be redeemed pro rata or by lot or by any other method utilized by the Trustee.

         "Redemption Price" means 100% of the principal amount of the Debt
Securities being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest on such Debt
Securities to the Redemption Date.

         "Special Redemption Price" means, with respect to the redemption of any
Debt Security following a Special Event, an amount in cash equal to 103.525% of
the principal amount of Debt Securities to be redeemed prior to December 15,
2005 and thereafter equal to the percentage of the principal amount of the Debt
Securities that is specified below for the Special Redemption Date plus, in each
case, unpaid interest accrued thereon to the Special Redemption Date:

         Special Redemption During the
         -----------------------------
     12-Month Period Beginning December 15       Percentage of Principal Amount
     -------------------------------------       ------------------------------

                 2005                                     103.140%
                 2006                                     102.355%
                 2007                                     101.570%
                 2008                                     100.785%
         2009 and thereafter                              100.000%


                                      A-7

<PAGE>


         In the event of redemption of this Debt Security in part only, a new
Debt Security or Debt Securities for the unredeemed portion hereof will be
issued in the name of the holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

         In certain cases where an Event of Default, as defined in the
Indenture, shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal of all of the
Debt Securities may be declared, and, in certain cases, shall ipso facto become,
due and payable, and upon such declaration of acceleration shall become due and
payable, in each case, in the manner, with the effect and subject to the
conditions provided in the Indenture.

         The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the
Trustee, with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities at the time outstanding
affected thereby, as specified in the Indenture, to execute supplemental
indentures for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner
or eliminating any of the provisions of the Indenture or of any supplemental
indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the holders of the Debt
Securities; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, among
other things, without the consent of the holders of each Debt Security then
outstanding and affected thereby (i) change the Maturity Date of any Debt
Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or any premium thereon, or
reduce the rate (or manner of calculation of the rate) or extend the time of
payment of interest thereon, or reduce (other than as a result of the maturity
or earlier redemption of any such Debt Security in accordance with the terms of
the Indenture and such Debt Security) or increase the aggregate principal amount
of Debt Securities then outstanding, or change any of the redemption provisions,
or make the principal thereof or any interest or premium thereon payable in any
coin or currency other than United States Dollars, or impair or affect the right
of any holder of Debt Securities to institute suit for the payment thereof, or
(ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Debt Securities, the holders of which
are required to consent to any such supplemental indenture. The Indenture also
contains provisions permitting the holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Debt Securities at the time outstanding, on behalf of all of the
holders of the Debt Securities, to waive any past default in the performance of
any of the covenants contained in the Indenture, or established pursuant to the
Indenture, and its consequences, except (a) a default in payments due in respect
of any of the Debt Securities, (b) in respect of covenants or provisions of the
Indenture which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder
of each Debt Security affected, or (c) in respect of the covenants of the
Company relating to its ownership of Common Securities of the Trust. Any such
consent or waiver by the registered holder of this Debt Security (unless revoked
as provided in the Indenture) shall be conclusive and binding upon such holder
and upon all future holders and owners of this Debt Security and of any Debt
Security issued in exchange herefor or in place hereof (whether by registration
of transfer or otherwise), irrespective of whether or not any notation of such
consent or waiver is made upon this Debt Security.

         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Debt
Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the
Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay all payments due on this
Debt Security at the time and place and at the rate and in the money herein
prescribed.



                                      A-8

<PAGE>


         As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein
and therein set forth, this Debt Security is transferable by the registered
holder hereof on the Debt Security Register of the Company, upon surrender of
this Debt Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the
Trustee in Houston, Texas accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of
transfer in form satisfactory to the Company or the Trustee duly executed by the
registered holder hereof or such holder's attorney duly authorized in writing,
and thereupon one or more new Debt Securities of authorized denominations and
for the same aggregate principal amount will be issued to the designated
transferee or transferees. No service charge will be made for any such
registration of transfer, but the Company may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in relation
thereto.

         Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of this Debt
Security, the Company, the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent,
any transfer agent and the Debt Security registrar may deem and treat the
registered holder hereof as the absolute owner hereof (whether or not this Debt
Security shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notice of ownership or writing
hereon) for the purpose of receiving payment of the principal of and premium, if
any, and interest on this Debt Security and for all other purposes, and neither
the Company nor the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent nor any Paying Agent
nor any transfer agent nor any Debt Security registrar shall be affected by any
notice to the contrary.

         No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or the
interest on this Debt Security, or for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in
respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture, against any
incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future, as
such, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, whether by
virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any
assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance
hereof and as part of the consideration for the issuance hereof, expressly
waived and released.

         The Debt Securities are issuable only in registered certificated form
without coupons. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations
herein and therein set forth, Debt Securities are exchangeable for a like
aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities of a different authorized
denomination, as requested by the holder surrendering the same.

         All terms used in this Debt Security that are defined in the Indenture
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

         THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL GOVERN THE INDENTURE AND THE
DEBT SECURITIES, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF.



                                      A-9