Document:

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                                                                    Exhibit 10.4

                               September 17, 2003

Ms. Sylvia Metayer
106 Appleton Street
Cambridge, MA 02138-3340

Dear Sylvia:

      We have discussed that Houghton Mifflin Company (the "Company") and
Houghton Mifflin Holdings, Inc. ("Holdings" and, with you and the Company, the
"Parties") desire to obtain your commitment to additional protection of
Confidential Information (defined in Section 4(b) hereof) and goodwill through
the amendment, restatement and extension of certain restrictive covenants
contained in existing agreements between you and the Company and/or Holdings,
effective as of July 1, 2004. We have also discussed the Company's willingness,
in exchange for that commitment from you, to provide you increased severance
benefits in the event that it initiates termination of your employment other
than for Cause (defined in Section 2(a) hereof) on or after that date. To that
end, effective as of July 1, 2004, this Agreement amends any and all prior
agreements between you and the Company and/or Holdings with respect to the
respective rights and obligations of the Parties arising on or after that date
which are the subject of this Agreement, as follows:

      1. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND RESTRICTED ACTIVITIES. Provided that you
are employed by the Company on July 1, 2004, the following obligations shall
apply, amending and restating those set forth in Sections 6 and 7 of the
Original Retention Agreement (as defined in Section 4 (c) below) as of that
date:

            (a) CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. During the course of your employment
and other associations with the Company and its Affiliates, you have learned,
and in the future will learn, of Confidential Information (defined in Section
4(b) below) and you may have developed, and hereafter may develop, Confidential
Information on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates. You agree that you will
not use or disclose to any Person (except as required by applicable law or for
the proper performance of your regular duties and responsibilities for the
Company and its Affiliates) any Confidential Information obtained by you
incident to your employment or any other association with the Company or any of
its Affiliates. You understand and agree that this restriction shall continue to
apply after your employment terminates, regardless of the reason for such
termination. Further, you agree to provide prompt notice to the Company of any
required disclosure of Confidential Information sought pursuant to subpoena,
court order or any other legal requirement and to provide the Company a
reasonable opportunity to seek protection of the Confidential Information prior
to any such disclosure.
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            (b) PROTECTION AND RETURN OF DOCUMENTS AND OTHER PROPERTY. You agree
that all documents, records and files, in any media of whatever kind and
description, relating to the business, present or otherwise, of the Company and
its Affiliates and any copies (including without limitation electronic copies),
in whole or in part, thereof (together, the "Documents" and each individually, a
"Document"), whether or not prepared by you, shall be the sole and exclusive
property of the Company and its Affiliates. You agree to safeguard, and return
to the Company immediately upon termination of your employment and at such other
times as may be specified by the Company, all Documents and all other property
of the Company and its Affiliates, and all documents, records and files of
Persons with whom they do business ("Third-Party Documents" and each
individually a "Third-Party Document") then in your possession or control;
provided, however, that, if a Document or Third-Party Document is on electronic
media, you may, in lieu of surrender of the Document or Third-Party Document,
provide a copy on electronic media (e.g., a properly formatted diskette) to the
Company and delete and overwrite all other electronic media copies thereof. You
also agree that, upon request of any duly authorized officer of the Company, you
will disclose all passwords necessary or desirable to enable the Company to
obtain access to the Documents and Third-Party Documents.

            (c) MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS AND ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS TO INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY. You agree to maintain accurate and complete contemporaneous records
of, and shall immediately and fully disclose and deliver to the Company, all
Intellectual Property (defined in Section 4(e) below). You hereby assign and
agree to assign to the Company (or as otherwise directed by the Company) your
full right, title and interest in and to all Intellectual Property. You agree to
execute any and all applications for domestic and foreign patents, copyrights or
other proprietary rights and to do such other acts (including without limitation
the execution and delivery of instruments of further assurance or confirmation)
requested by the Company to assign the Intellectual Property to the Company and
to permit the Company to enforce any patents, copyrights or other proprietary
rights to the Intellectual Property. You agree not to charge the Company for
time spent in complying with these obligations. All copyrightable works that you
create shall be considered "work made for hire" and shall, upon creation, be
owned exclusively by the Company.

            (d) NON-COMPETITION. You acknowledge that in your employment with
the Company you have had, and will hereafter have, access to Confidential
Information which, if disclosed, would assist in competition against the Company
and its Affiliates and that you also have, and will hereafter, generate goodwill
for the Company and its Affiliates in the course of your employment. You also
acknowledge that the amount of severance pay to be provided you hereunder in the
event of termination of your employment by the Company other than for Cause on
or after July 1, 2004 is twice that to which you were previously eligible,
expressly in exchange for your commitments under this Section 1(d). Further, you
agree that the following restrictions on your activities during and after your

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employment are necessary to protect the goodwill, Confidential Information and
other legitimate interests of the Company and its Affiliates:

                  (i) While you are employed by the Company and during the
      twenty-four (24) months immediately following termination of your
      employment, regardless of the reason for such termination, (in the
      aggregate, the "Non-Competition Period"), you shall not, directly or
      indirectly, whether as owner, partner, investor, consultant, agent,
      employee, co-venturer or otherwise, compete with the Company or any of its
      Affiliates anywhere in the world or undertake any planning for any
      business competitive with the business of the Company or any of its
      Affiliates. Specifically, but without limiting the foregoing, you agree
      not to work for, or provide services to, in any capacity, whether as an
      employee, independent contractor or otherwise, whether with or without
      compensation, any Person engaged in any business that is competitive with
      the business of the Company or any of its Affiliates, as conducted or in
      planning during your employment with the Company.

                  (ii) You agree that, during the Non-Competition Period, other
      than as required by your duties for the Company and its Affiliates during
      your employment, you will not, and will not assist anyone else to, (A)
      solicit for hiring any employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates or
      seek to persuade any employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates to
      discontinue employment or (B) solicit or encourage any independent
      contractor or other Person doing business with the Company or any of its
      Affiliates at any time during your employment to terminate or diminish its
      relationship with the Company or any of the Company's Affiliates or to
      violate any agreement of such independent contractor or other Person with
      the Company or any of its Affiliates. For the purposes of this Agreement,
      an "employee" of the Company or any of its Affiliates is any Person who is
      then in their employ or who was so employed at any time within the
      preceding six months.

            (e) In signing this Agreement, you give the Company assurance that
you have carefully read and considered all the terms and conditions of this
Agreement, including the restraints imposed on you under this Section 1. You
agree without reservation that these restraints are necessary for the reasonable
and proper protection of the Company and its Affiliates and that each and every
one of the restraints is reasonable in respect to subject matter, length of time
and geographic area. You further agree that, were you to breach any of the
covenants contained in this Section 1, the damage to the Company and its
Affiliates would be irreparable. You therefore agree that the Company, in
addition to any other remedies available to it, shall be entitled to preliminary
and permanent injunctive relief against any breach or threatened breach by you
of any of those covenants, without having to post bond. You and the Company
further agree that, in the event that any provision of this Section 1 is
determined by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable by reason
of its being extended over too great a time, too large a geographic

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area or too great a range of activities, that provision shall be deemed to be
modified to permit its enforcement to the maximum extent permitted by law. It is
also agreed that each of the Company's Affiliates shall have the right to
enforce all of your obligations to that Affiliate under this Agreement,
including without limitation pursuant to this Section 1.

      2 TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. Your employment may be terminated by you or
the Company at any time, with or without cause, and nothing contained in this
Agreement obligates the Company or any of its Affiliates to retain your services
for a fixed period. If you are employed by the Company on July 1, 2004, however,
your employment with the Company shall continue thereafter until terminated
pursuant to this Section 2, as follows:

            (a) The Company may terminate your employment for Cause upon notice
to you setting forth in reasonable detail the nature of the Cause. The
following, as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board")
in its reasonable judgment, shall constitute Cause for termination: (i) your
continued material failure substantially to perform your duties (other than as a
result of incapacity due to physical or mental illness), (ii) your gross
negligence or willful misconduct in the course of your employment with the
Company, (iii) your conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere to, a felony (or
the equivalent thereof in a jurisdiction outside of the United States), (iv)
your material breach of any material provision of this Agreement, (v) your
material breach of a material employment policy of the Company, (vi) your
misappropriation, embezzlement or material misuse of funds or property belonging
to the Company or any of its Affiliates or (vii) your use of alcohol or illegal
drugs that either interferes with your performance of your duties hereunder or
compromises the integrity and reputation of the Company or its Affiliates, their
employees or their products; provided that, following written notice from the
Company under clause (i), (ii) (iv) or (v) above, you will have ten (10)
business days during which to cure such failure, negligence, misconduct or
breach; but provided further that you will be permitted only one such cure
period.

            (b) The Company also may terminate your employment at any time other
than for Cause upon notice to you; provided, however, that, in the event of such
termination prior to your obtaining a United States permanent resident visa (a
"green card"), the Company shall give you sixty (60) days' notice of any
termination under this Section 2(b).

            (c) You may terminate your employment at any time on thirty (30)
days' notice to the Company. The Company may elect to waive the notice period,
or any portion thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, in the event of
termination under this Section 2(c) prior to your obtaining a green card, you
may elect instead to give up to a maximum of sixty (60) days' notice of such
termination and the Company agrees to continue your employment throughout that
notice period.

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            (d) Your employment shall automatically terminate in the event of
your death during employment. In the event you become disabled during employment
and, as a result, are unable to continue to perform substantially all of your
duties and responsibilities for the Company and its Affiliates for more than
ninety (90) days during any period of three hundred and sixty-five (365)
consecutive calendar days, the Company may terminate your employment upon notice
to you; provided, however, that in the event such termination occurs prior to
your obtaining a green card, the Company shall give you at least sixty (60)
days' notice of such termination and agrees to continue your employment until
the end of the notice period. Any leave of absence provided you during any
period of employment with the Company in which you are disabled, and any
continuation of pay or benefits during such leave, will be governed by the
policies of the Company generally applicable to its executives, as in effect
from time to time. If any question shall arise as to whether you are disabled to
the extent that you are unable to perform substantially all of your duties and
responsibilities for the Company and its Affiliates, you shall, at the Company's
request, submit to a medical examination by a physician selected by the Company
to whom you or your guardian, if any, has no reasonable objection to determine
whether you are so disabled and such determination shall for the purposes of
this Section 2(d) be conclusive of the issue. If such a question arises and you
fail to submit to the requested medical examination, the Company's determination
of the issue shall be binding on you.

      3. SEVERANCE PAYMENTS AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO TERMINATION. In the
event of termination of your employment on or after July 1, 2004, the Company
shall have no obligation to you, other than as set forth expressly in this
Section 3.

            (a) In the event of any termination of your employment with the
Company, regardless of the reason for such termination, the Company will provide
the following Final Payment to you or, in the event of your death, to your named
beneficiary or, if none, to your estate: (i) base salary earned but not yet
paid, through the date of termination; (ii) pay, at your final base rate of pay,
for any vacation time accrued but not used as of the date of termination; and
(iii) reimbursement, in accordance with its policies, of any business expenses
incurred but not yet reimbursed on the date of termination, provided that such
expenses and any required documentation are submitted within sixty (60) days
following termination of your employment.

            (b) In the event of termination of your employment (i) by the
Company for Cause or (ii) as a result of your death or disability or (iii) by
you prior to obtaining a green card, the Company will have no further obligation
to you, other than for the Final Payment.

            (c) In the event of your termination of your employment pursuant to
Section 2(c) hereof after you have obtained a green card, if the Company elects
to waive the notice period, or any portion thereof, the Company will pay you, in
addition to the Final

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Payment, your base salary for any portion of the notice period waived, to a
maximum of thirty (30) days' pay.

            (d) In the event of termination of your employment by the Company
other than for Cause in accordance with Section 2(b) hereof, then, in addition
to the Final Payment, the Company will provide you severance pay equal to
twenty-four (24) months of base salary, at the rate in effect on the date of
termination, provided that you sign an effective and timely release of claims in
the form provided by the Company (the "Employee Release"). All severance
payments will be in the form of salary continuation, payable in accordance with
the normal payroll practices of the Company for its executives, and will begin
at the Company's next regular payroll period following the later of the
effective date of the Employee Release or the date the Employee Release, signed
by you, is received by the Company. The first severance payment will be
retroactive to the day immediately following the date of termination of your
employment. Also, subject to your signing an effective and timely Employee
Release and subject to any employee contribution applicable to you on the date
of termination, the Company shall continue to contribute to the premium cost of
your participation in the Company's group health, dental and vision plans for
the period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of termination or, if less,
until you become eligible for coverage under the health plan of another
employer, provided that you are eligible for such continued participation under
applicable law and plan terms. You may be required to exercise your rights under
the federal law known as "COBRA," or other applicable law, in order to be
eligible for the Company's premium contributions hereunder and coverage under
the Company's health, dental and vision plans may be subject to geographically
limited service areas and other limitations, which shall be applicable to you.

            (e) Except for any right you may have to continue participation in
the Company's group health, dental and vision plans in accordance with Section
3(d) above or otherwise at your cost under COBRA, benefits shall terminate in
accordance with the terms of the applicable benefit plans based on the date of
termination of your employment, without regard to any continuation of your base
salary or other payment to you following termination. It is expressly understood
and agreed that you will not have any entitlement to receive benefits under any
other agreement with the Company or any of its Affiliates as a result of
termination of your employment; nor will you have any entitlement to receive
benefits under the Houghton Mifflin Severance Plan or any other plan or
arrangement of the Company or any of its Affiliates providing benefits as a
result of termination of employment, regardless of the reason for such
termination.

            (f) Provisions of this Agreement shall survive any termination if so
provided in this Agreement or if necessary or desirable to accomplish the
purposes of other surviving provisions, including without limitation your
obligations under Section 1 of this Agreement. The obligation of the Company to
make payments to you or on your behalf

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under Section 3(d) hereof is expressly conditioned upon your continued full
performance of obligations under Section 1 hereof.

      4. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the following definitions
apply:

            (a) "Affiliates" means all persons and entities directly or
indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company,
where control may be by management authority or equity interest.

            (b) "Confidential Information" means any and all information of the
Company and its Affiliates that is not generally available to the public.
Confidential Information also includes any information received by the Company
or any of its Affiliates from any Person with any understanding, express or
implied, that it would not be disclosed.

            (c) "Consolidated Retention Agreement" means your agreement with the
Company captioned "Senior Executive 3X Retention Agreement" effective September
9, 2002 (the "Original Retention Agreement"), as amended by your agreement of
January 29, 2003 with Holdings captioned "Senior Executive 3X Retention
Agreement, Waiver and Election" (the "Rollover Agreement") and as further
amended by your letter agreement with the Company and Holdings dated on or about
September 10, 2003 (the "2003 Compensation Agreement").

            (d) "Employment Agreement" means your letter of employment with the
Company dated September 19, 2002, as amended by the 2003 Compensation Agreement.
(e) "Intellectual Property" means inventions, discoveries, developments,
methods, processes, compositions, works, concepts and ideas (whether or not
patentable or copyrightable or constituting trade secrets) conceived, made,
created, developed or reduced to practice by you (whether alone or with others,
whether or not during normal business hours or on or off Company premises)
during your employment and other association with the Company that relate to
either the products or services of the Company or any of its Affiliates or any
prospective activity of the Company or any of its Affiliates or that make use of
Confidential Information or any of the equipment or facilities of the Company or
any of its Affiliates.

            (f) "Person" means an individual, a corporation, a limited liability
company, an association, a partnership, an estate, a trust or any other entity
or organization, other than the Company or any of its Affiliates.

      5. WITHHOLDING. All payments made by the Company or Holdings under this
Agreement shall be reduced by any tax or other amounts required to be withheld
under applicable law.

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      6. ASSIGNMENT. Neither you nor the Company nor Holdings may make any
assignment of this Agreement or any interest in it, by operation of law or
otherwise, without the prior written consent of the other; provided, however,
that the Company and Holdings each may assign its rights and obligations under
this Agreement without your consent to one of the Affiliates or to any Person
with whom the Company or Holdings shall hereafter affect a reorganization,
consolidate with, or merge into or to whom either transfers all or substantially
all of its properties or assets. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon you, the Company and Holdings, and each of our respective
successors, executors, administrators, heirs and permitted assigns. You
expressly consent to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement for the
benefit of the Company and of any Affiliate, successor or permitted assign to
whose employ you may be transferred, without the necessity that this Agreement
be re-signed at the time of such transfer.

      7. SEVERABILITY. If any portion or provision of this Agreement shall to
any extent be declared illegal or unenforceable by a court of competent
jurisdiction, then the remainder of this Agreement, or the application of such
portion or provision in circumstances other than those as to which it is so
declared illegal or unenforceable, shall not be affected thereby, and each
portion and provision of this Agreement shall be valid and enforceable to the
fullest extent permitted by law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, the
Company shall be entitled to enforce its rights under the second sentence of
Section 3(f) hereof.

      8. MISCELLANEOUS. This Agreement sets forth your entire agreement with the
Company and Holdings, and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous
communications, agreements and understandings, written or oral, with respect to
the subject matter hereof, effective as of July 1, 2004. Except as modified
hereby on and after July 1, 2004, however, the Employment Agreement (defined in
Section 4(d) above) and the Consolidated Retention Agreement (also defined in
Section 4(c) above) shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with
their terms. This Agreement may not be modified or amended, and no breach shall
be deemed to be waived, unless agreed to in writing by you and an expressly
authorized representative of the Board and of the Board of Directors of
Holdings. The headings and captions in this Agreement are for convenience only
and in no way define or describe the scope or content of any provision of this
Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and
the same instrument. This is a Massachusetts contract and shall be governed and
construed in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

      9. NOTICES. Any notices provided for in this Agreement shall be in writing
and shall be effective when delivered in person, consigned to an overnight
courier service or deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, and
addressed to you at your last

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known address on the books of the Company or, in the case of the Company and
Holdings, to them at the Company's principal place of business, attention of the
Chair of the Board, or to such other address as either party may specify by
notice to the other actually received.

      If the foregoing is acceptable to you, please sign this letter in the
space provided and return it to me no later than September 17, 2003. At the
time you sign and return it, this letter will take effect as a binding agreement
among you, the Company and Holdings on the basis set forth above. The enclosed
counterpart, which you should also sign and date, is for your records.

Sincerely yours,
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY

/s/ Gerald Hughes
-------------------------------
Gerald Hughes, Senior Vice President, Human Resources

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HOLDINGS, INC.

/s/ Michael Ward
-------------------------------
Michael Ward, Director

Accepted and Agreed:

Signature:  /s/ Marie-Sylvia Metayer
           ----------------------------------
                  Marie-Sylvia Metayer

Date:  September 17, 2003
      ---------------------------------------

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                                                                 ---------------

                    9 3/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012

No. ___                                                           $_____________

                               JARDEN CORPORATION

promises to pay to CEDE & CO. or registered assigns, the principal sum of
________________ Dollars on May 1, 2012.

Interest Payment Dates:  May 1 and November 1

Record Dates:  April 15 and October 15

Dated:  _____________

                                        JARDEN CORPORATION

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

This is one of the Notes referred to
in the within-mentioned Indenture:

THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
  as Trustee

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>

                    9 3/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012

THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE
GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL
OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES
EXCEPT THAT (1) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED
PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06 OF THE INDENTURE, (2) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED
IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06(a) OF THE INDENTURE, (3) THIS
GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION
2.11 OF THE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A
SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE COMPANY.

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE
FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A
NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR
ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A
SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS
CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST
COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) ("DTC"), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS
AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE
ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE
REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO
CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR
OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER
HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

         Capitalized terms used herein have the meanings assigned to them in the
Indenture referred to below unless otherwise indicated.

              (1) INTEREST. Jarden Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
         "Company"), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this
         Note at 9 3/4% per annum from ___________, 2003 until maturity and
         shall pay the Liquidated Damages, if any, payable pursuant to Section 4
         of the Registration Rights Agreement referred to below. The Company
         will pay interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, semi-annually in
         arrears on May 1 and November 1 of each year, or if any such day is not
         a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each, an "Interest
         Payment Date"). Interest on the Notes will accrue from the most recent
         date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid,
         from the date of issuance; provided that if there is no existing
         Default in the payment of interest, and if this Note is authenticated
         between a record date referred to on the face hereof and the next
         succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest shall accrue from such next
         succeeding Interest Payment Date; provided, further, that the first
         Interest Payment Date shall be the first of May 1 or November 1 to
         occur after the date of issuance, unless such May 1 or November 1
         occurs within one calendar month of such date of issuance, in which
         case the first Interest Payment Date shall be the second of May

<PAGE>

         1 or November 1 to occur after the date of issuance. The Company will
         pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under
         any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal and premium, if any, from time
         to time on demand at a rate that is 1% per annum in excess of the rate
         then in effect; it will pay interest (including post-petition interest
         in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of
         interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, (without regard to any
         applicable grace periods) from time to time on demand at the same rate
         to the extent lawful. Interest will be computed on the basis of a
         360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

              (2) METHOD OF PAYMENT. The Company will pay interest on the Notes
         (except defaulted interest) and Liquidated Damages, if any, to the
         Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on
         the April 15 or October 15 next preceding the Interest Payment Date,
         even if such Notes are canceled after such record date and on or before
         such Interest Payment Date, except as provided in Section 2.12 of the
         Indenture with respect to defaulted interest. The Notes will be payable
         as to principal, premium and Liquidated Damages, if any, and interest
         at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose
         within or without the City and State of New York, or, at the option of
         the Company, payment of interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, may be
         made by check mailed to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the
         register of Holders; provided that payment by wire transfer of
         immediately available funds will be required with respect to principal
         of and interest, premium and Liquidated Damages, if any, on, all Global
         Notes and any other Notes if any Holder of $1.0 million or more in
         aggregate principal amount of such Notes has provided wire transfer
         instructions to the Company or the Paying Agent for that purpose. Such
         payment will be in such coin or currency of the United States of
         America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public
         and private debts.

              (3) PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR. Initially, The Bank of New York,
         the Trustee under the Indenture, will act as Paying Agent and
         Registrar. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without
         notice to any Holder. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act in
         any such capacity.

              (4) INDENTURE. The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture
         dated as of April 24, 2002 (the "Indenture") among the Company, the
         Guarantors and the Trustee. The terms of the Notes include those stated
         in the Indenture, except Section 3.08 thereof, and those made part of
         the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
         amended (15 U.S. Code ss.ss. 77aaa-77bbbb). The Notes are subject to
         all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and such Act
         for a statement of such terms. To the extent any provision of this Note
         conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions
         of the Indenture shall govern and be controlling. The Notes are
         obligations of the Company [unlimited] in aggregate principal amount.

              (5) OPTIONAL REDEMPTION.

         Except as set forth in subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph 5, the
Company will not have the option to redeem the Notes prior to May 1, 2007.
Thereafter, the Company will have the option to redeem the Notes, in whole or in
part, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' notice, at the redemption
prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) set forth below plus
accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, thereon to the
applicable redemption date, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning
on May 1 of the years indicated below:

<PAGE>

        Year                                                       Percentage
        ----                                                       ----------
        2007...............................................        104.875%
        2008...............................................        103.250%
        2009...............................................        101.625%
        2010 and thereafter................................        100.000%

         (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (a) of this
Paragraph 5, at any time prior to May 1, 2005, the Company may redeem Notes with
the net proceeds of a public equity offering at a redemption price equal to
109.750% of the aggregate principal amount thereof; provided that at least 65%
in aggregate principal amount of the Notes issued under the Indenture remains
outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such redemption and that such
redemption occurs within 45 days of the date of the closing of such public
equity offering.

              (6) [Intentionally omitted.]

              (7) MANDATORY REDEMPTION.

         The Company will not be required to make mandatory redemption or
sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.

              (8) REPURCHASE AT OPTION OF HOLDER.

                     (a) If there is a Change of Control, the Company will be
         required to make an offer (a "Change of Control Offer") to repurchase
         all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof) of
         each Holder's Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the aggregate
         principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest and
         Liquidated Damages thereon, if any, to the date of purchase (the
         "Change of Control Payment"). Within 10 days following any Change of
         Control, the Company will mail a notice to each Holder setting forth
         the procedures governing the Change of Control Offer as required by the
         Indenture.

                     (b) If the Company or a Subsidiary consummates any Asset
         Sales, within 30 days of each date on which the aggregate amount of
         Excess Proceeds exceeds $5 million, the Company will commence an offer
         to all Holders of Notes and all holders of other Indebtedness that is
         pari passu with the Notes containing provisions similar to those set
         forth in the Indenture with respect to offers to purchase or redeem
         with the proceeds of sales of assets (an "Asset Sale Offer") pursuant
         to Section 3.10 of the Indenture to purchase the maximum principal
         amount of Notes (including any Additional Notes) and other pari passu
         Indebtedness that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds at an
         offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount
         thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages
         thereon, if any, to the date fixed for the closing of such offer, in
         accordance with the procedures set forth in the Indenture. To the
         extent that the aggregate amount of Notes (including any Additional
         Notes) and other pari passu Indebtedness tendered pursuant to an Asset
         Sale Offer is less than the Excess Proceeds, the Company (or such
         Subsidiary) may use such deficiency for any purpose not otherwise
         prohibited by the Indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes
         and other pari passu Indebtedness surrendered by holders thereof
         exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the Trustee shall select the
         Notes and other pari passu Indebtedness to be purchased on a pro rata
         basis. Holders of Notes that are the subject of an offer to purchase
         will receive an Asset Sale Offer from the Company prior to any

<PAGE>

         related purchase date and may elect to have such Notes purchased by
         completing the form entitled "Option of Holder to Elect Purchase" on
         the reverse of the Notes.

              (9) NOTICE OF REDEMPTION. Notice of redemption will be mailed at
         least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to
         each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address.
         Notes in denominations larger than $1,000 may be redeemed in part but
         only in whole multiples of $1,000, unless all of the Notes held by a
         Holder are to be redeemed. On and after the redemption date interest
         ceases to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

              (10) DENOMINATIONS, TRANSFER, EXCHANGE. The Notes are in
         registered form without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and integral
         multiples of $1,000. The transfer of Notes may be registered and Notes
         may be exchanged as provided in the Indenture. The Registrar and the
         Trustee may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish
         appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and the Company may
         require a Holder to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted
         by the Indenture. The Company need not exchange or register the
         transfer of any Note or portion of a Note selected for redemption,
         except for the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.
         Also, the Company need not exchange or register the transfer of any
         Notes for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be
         redeemed or during the period between a record date and the
         corresponding Interest Payment Date.

              (11) PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS. The registered Holder of a Note may be
         treated as its owner for all purposes.

              (12) AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER. Subject to certain
         exceptions, the Indenture, the Subsidiary Guarantees or the Notes may
         be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least
         a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes and
         Additional Notes, if any, voting as a single class, and any existing
         default or compliance with any provision of the Indenture, the
         Subsidiary Guarantees or the Notes may be waived with the consent of
         the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding
         Notes and Additional Notes, if any, voting as a single class. Without
         the consent of any Holder of a Note, the Indenture, the Subsidiary
         Guarantees or the Notes may be amended or supplemented to cure any
         ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to provide for uncertificated Notes
         in addition to or in place of certificated Notes or to alter the
         provisions of Article 2 of the Indenture (including the related
         definitions) in a manner that does not materially adversely affect any
         Holder, to provide for the assumption of the Company's or any
         Guarantor's obligations to Holders of the Notes in case of a merger or
         consolidation, to make any change that would provide any additional
         rights or benefits to the Holders of the Notes or that does not
         adversely affect the legal rights under the Indenture of any such
         Holder, to comply with the requirements of the SEC in order to effect
         or maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust
         Indenture Act, to provide for the Issuance of Additional Notes in
         accordance with the limitations set forth in the Indenture, or to allow
         any Guarantor to execute a supplemental indenture to the Indenture
         and/or a Subsidiary Guarantee with respect to the Notes.

              (13) DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES. Events of Default include: (i) the
         Company defaults for 30 days in the payment when due of interest on, or
         Liquidated Damages with respect to, the Notes whether or not prohibited
         by the subordination provisions of the Indenture; (ii) the Company
         defaults in the payment when due (at maturity, upon

<PAGE>

         redemption or otherwise) of the principal of, or premium, if any, on
         the Notes (including, but not limited to, amounts due in connection
         with Mandatory Redemption), whether or not prohibited by the
         subordination provisions of the Indenture, (iii) the Company or any of
         its Subsidiaries fails to comply with the provisions of Section 4.10
         (other than the requirement that the resolution of the Board of
         Directors pursuant to clause (2) of the first paragraph of Section 4.10
         be set forth in an Officers' Certificate delivered to the Trustee, with
         respect to which the Event of Default described in clause (5) of the
         paragraph will apply), 4.15 or 5.01 of the Indenture; (iv) the Company
         or any of its Subsidiaries fails to comply with the provisions of
         Section 4.07 or 4.09 of the Indenture such failure continues for 30
         days; (v) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries fails to observe or
         perform any other covenant, representation, warranty or other agreement
         in the Indenture or the Notes for 60 days after notice to the Company
         by the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal
         amount of the Notes then outstanding voting as a single class; (vi)
         default under certain other agreements relating to Indebtedness of the
         Company which default results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness
         prior to its express maturity; (vii) certain final judgments against
         the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary for the payment of money that
         remain undischarged for a period of 60 days; (viii) certain events of
         bankruptcy or insolvency with respect to the Company, any Restricted
         Subsidiary that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted
         Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant
         Subsidiary and (ix) except as permitted by the Indenture, any
         Subsidiary Guarantee shall be held in any judicial proceeding to be
         unenforceable or invalid or shall cease for any reason to be in full
         force and effect or any Guarantor or any Person acting on its behalf
         shall deny or disaffirm its obligations under such Guarantor's
         Subsidiary Guarantee. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing,
         the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the
         then outstanding Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable.
         Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Event of Default
         arising from certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency, all
         outstanding Notes will become due and payable without further action or
         notice. Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as
         provided in the Indenture. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a
         majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct
         the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may
         withhold from Holders of the Notes notice of any continuing Default or
         Event of Default (except a Default or Event of Default relating to the
         payment of principal or interest or Liquidated Damages) if it
         determines that withholding notice is in their interest. The Holders of
         a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding
         by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of the
         Notes waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its
         consequences under the Indenture except a continuing Default or Event
         of Default in the payment of interest or Liquidated Damages on, or the
         principal of, the Notes; provided, however, that at any time after a
         declaration of acceleration under the Indenture, but before a judgment
         or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the
         Trustee, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
         outstanding Notes, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee,
         may rescind such declaration and its consequences given certain
         circumstances as provided in the Indenture. The Company is required to
         deliver to the Trustee annually a statement regarding compliance with
         the Indenture, and the Company is required upon becoming aware of any
         Default or Event of Default, to deliver to the Trustee a statement
         specifying such Default or Event of Default.

              (14) SUBORDINATION. Payment of principal, interest and premium and
         Liquidated Damages, if any, on the Notes is subordinated to the prior
         payment of Senior Debt on the terms provided in the Indenture.

<PAGE>

              (15) TRUSTEE DEALINGS WITH COMPANY. The Trustee, in its individual
         or any other capacity, may make loans to, accept deposits from, and
         perform services for the Company or its Affiliates, and may otherwise
         deal with the Company or its Affiliates, as if it were not the Trustee.

              (16) NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS. A director, officer, employee,
         incorporator or stockholder, of the Company or any of the Guarantors,
         as such, will not have any liability for any obligations of the Company
         or such Guarantor under the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees or the
         Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of,
         such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting a Note
         waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part
         of the consideration for the issuance of the Notes.

              (17) AUTHENTICATION. This Note will not be valid until
         authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an
         authenticating agent.

              (18) ABBREVIATIONS. Customary abbreviations may be used in the
         name of a Holder or an assignee, such as: TEN COM (= tenants in
         common), TEN ENT (= tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (= joint tenants
         with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (=
         Custodian), and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gifts to Minors Act).

              (19) ADDITIONAL RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES AND
         RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES. In addition to the rights provided to
         Holders of Notes under the Indenture, Holders of Restricted Global
         Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes will have all the rights set
         forth in the Registration Rights Agreement dated as of May 8, 2003,
         between the Company, the Guarantors and the other parties named on the
         signature pages thereof or, in the case of Additional Notes, Holders of
         Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes will have the
         rights set forth in one or more registration rights agreements, if any,
         among the Company, the Guarantors and the other parties thereto,
         relating to rights given by the Company and the Guarantors to the
         purchasers of any Additional Notes (collectively, the "Registration
         Rights Agreement").

              (20) CUSIP NUMBERS. Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by
         the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the
         Company has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Notes and the
         Trustee may use CUSIP numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience
         to Holders. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such
         numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of
         redemption and reliance may be placed only on the other identification
         numbers placed thereon.

         The Company will furnish to any Holder upon written request and without
charge a copy of the Indenture and/or the Registration Rights Agreement.
Requests may be made to:

Jarden Corporation
555 Theodore Fremd Avenue
Rye, NY 10580

Attention:  Ian G.H. Ashken

<PAGE>

                                 ASSIGNMENT FORM

         To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

(I) or (we) assign and transfer this Note to:
                                             ----------------------------------
                                                (Insert assignee's legal name)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  (Insert assignee's soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Print or type assignee's name, address and zip code)

and irrevocably appoint
                       ---------------------------------------------------------
to transfer this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute
another to act for him.

Date:
     -----------------

                            Your Signature:
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           (Sign exactly as your name appears on
                                            the face of this Note)

Signature Guarantee*:
                     ---------------------------------

*   Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other
signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

<PAGE>

                       OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE

         If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Company
pursuant to Section 4.10 or 4.15 of the Indenture, check the appropriate box
below:

                         [  ]  Section 4.10    [  ] Section 4.15

         If you want to elect to have only part of the Note purchased by the
Company pursuant to Section 4.10 or Section 4.15 of the Indenture, state the
amount you elect to have purchased:

                                    $
                                     ------------------------

Date:  _______________

                           Your Signature:
                                          ------------------------------------
                                          (Sign exactly as your name appears on
                                           the face of this Note)

                           Tax Identification No.:
                                                  -----------------------------

Signature Guarantee*:
                     ---------------------------

*   Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other
signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

<PAGE>

              SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE

         The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest
in another Global Note or for a Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of
another Global Note or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note, have
been made:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           Principal Amount
                           Amount of decrease    Amount of increase in    of this Global Note       Signature of
                           in Principal Amount      Principal Amount        following such       authorized officer
                                   of                      of                  decrease             of Trustee or
    Date of Exchange        this Global Note        this Global Note         (or increase)            Custodian
    ----------------        ----------------        ----------------         -------------            ---------
<S>                         <C>                    <C>                      <C>                   <C>

</TABLE>

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