"As if every cadet at the school didn't know it, Pepper."

"Well, Andy, have you made up your mind how you are going to vote?"

"Sure I have," replied the acrobatic youth. "I am going to vote for Bart Conners for major, since Jack don't want to run again."

"That's the way I am going to vote, too."

"How about the two captains?" asked Joe Nelson.

"Well, I think I'll vote for Dave Kearney for one," answered Pepper. "I am not so sure about the other."

"What's the matter with Harry Blossom?" asked Bert Field. "He seems to be a nice sort."

"He is."

"I understand Reff Ritter wants to be a captain," put in Stuffer.

"Sure, an' he'd be afther wantin' to be major, only he ain't popular enough," came from Emerald.

"Coulter is out for a captaincy, too," said Jack, who had come up during the talk.

"Do you think either of them will be elected?" asked Andy.

"Not if I can prevent it," replied the young major. "Neither of them deserves any office."

"I understand Dan Baxter wants to be major," said Stuffer. "Talk about gall! What has he ever done for the school? Nothing."

"He won't get the office," said Jack.

"Is Bart going to have a walkover?" asked Pepper.

"Hardly. Both Dave Kearney and Harry Blossom will run against him, and so will Bob Grenwood, and they all have their friends."

"Well, let the best fellows win, say I!" cried Andy, and then he ran off, to do some fancy "stunts" in the gymnasium.

The excitement attending the disappearance of Bart Conners's stickpin and Dan Baxter's money had somewhat subsided, and now the cadets could think of nothing but the coming election.

"How many cadets are there to vote?" asked Pepper, as he and Jack walked away to the river to skate.

"Eighty-three."

"Then it will take forty-two votes to elect anybody."

"That's it."

"Well, I hope Bart gets the forty-two votes."

"I have been doing a little figuring, and I think he can count on at least thirty-one votes. But I am not so sure of the other eleven."

The election of officers was made the occasion of a holiday at Putnam Hall. Immediately after breakfast, the battalion was formed and marched around the campus and then to the gymnasium. Here Captain Putnam made a little speech, in which he announced that the balloting for a major would be immediately followed by the balloting for one captain and then the other, and then for the lieutenants.

"It is now nine-thirty," concluded Captain Putnam. "Balloting for a new major will take place promptly at ten o'clock."

"Captain Putnam, may I say a word?" asked Major Jack, saluting with his sword.

"Certainly, Major Ruddy."

"Fellow cadets," began Jack, in a clear, steady voice. "All I wish to say is this: As major of the Putnam Hall Battalion I have enjoyed myself very much, and I trust my successor, whoever he may be, will have as good a time. I understand that some of you want to vote for me again.

Let me say that I am not a candidate, and will not accept the office even if elected. I expect to leave this inst.i.tution next June, and in the meantime hope to devote my time mostly to my studies. I thank you for your attention."

"Hurrah!" shouted a number of the cadets.

"Three cheers for Major Ruddy!" shouted Pepper, and they were given with a will.

"We'll never get a better major!" called out one enthusiastic cadet.

After that there was a great canva.s.sing for votes. Dan Baxter was unusually active, and Jack and Pepper felt certain that he was trying one of his old tricks, namely, that of buying votes. Some of the poorer cadets had very little spending money, and it was a great temptation to them to have money offered for their ballots. Of course, buying votes was dishonorable, and Baxter had to work on the sly. Ritter also tried to buy votes, but soon found out that very few of the cadets would even listen to him, because of the way he had misled them in the past.

At last came the time to vote, and the ballot-box was placed on a table in charge of two cadets and George Strong, who had consented to act as judge of the election.

"This is for a new major only," announced George Strong. "You will step up and vote as your names are called."

It took but a few minutes to cast the eighty-three ballots. Then the vote was tabulated, while the boys stood around on the tiptoe of expectation.

"I will read the result," announced Captain Putnam, after receiving a paper from Mr. Strong, and he read as follows:

"Whole number of votes cast, 83.

Necessary to a choice, 42.

Paul Singleton has 4.

Henry Lee has 5.

Harry Blossom has 7.

David Kearney has 9.

Reffton Ritter has 12.

Daniel Baxter has 18.

Bart Conners has 28."

"n.o.body is elected," said Pepper, in a disappointed voice.

"Boys, you will have to try it again," said Captain Putnam.

"I beg to withdraw my name from the list of candidates," cried Paul Singleton. "All who voted for me will kindly vote for Bart Conners, who is my choice."

"We must beat Ritter and Baxter!" said Andy, in a low voice.

"That's right!" cried another of the cadets. "But how?"

"Let us try to make up a slate," proposed Jack, who was something of a politician. "Harry Blossom and Dave Kearney might withdraw in favor of Bart Conners if the fellows promised to support them for the two captaincies."

"Let us see if it can be done," returned Pepper, quickly. "Hustle now, for we've got to vote again in fifteen minutes."