At the usual hour the next morning Josiah Crabtree arose and dressed himself. He was in a far from happy frame of mind, for a tailor's bill he had to pay was higher than he thought it ought to be.
Having donned his garments, and washed himself and combed his hair, he turned to the stand to get his new set of teeth.
He took up the glass and peered into it.
"Hum!" he mused. "I thought I put them in there—in fact, I was sure of it!" he murmured.
He set the glass down and commenced to look around, on the bureau, on his bookcase, on the shelf, and even on the chairs. But, of course, nothing in the shape of the set of teeth came to light.
"This is queer, mighty queer," said the teacher to himself. "Now, let me think what I did withthem. Yes, I put them in the glass, I am positive of it!"
He examined the glass once more, turning it around and around. Then he commenced a systematic search of the room. At the conclusion something like a groan escaped his lips.
"They are gone! gone!" he murmured hollowly. "And I left the old set at the dentist's to be made over! Oh, what shall I do? I cannot go to the classroom without my teeth, the cadets would roar at me! It must be a trick, a wicked trick! Oh, if only I could find out who did this awful thing!"
He made another hunt, and then, not knowing what else to do, opened his door and hailed a passing cadet.
"Kindly ask Captain Putnam to step here as soon as he can," he mumbled.
"Yes, sir," answered the cadet, and looked curiously at the teacher. "Got a toothache, Mr. Crabtree?"
"No, I have no toothache," mumbled the teacher. "Send Captain Putnam as soon as you can," and then he dove back into his bedroom.
Several minutes passed and George Strong put in an appearance.
"Dalling said you wanted to see Captain Putnam," he said. "The captain has left for Buffalo on business. Can I do anything for you?"
"Mr. Strong, a wicked trick has been played on me!" burst out Josiah Crabtree.
"A trick?"
"Yes. My teeth are gone, the new set I had made! Some cadet has taken them!"
"Can it be possible!" murmured George Strong. "Where did you leave them?"
"In that glass on the stand. Oh, what shall I do? My other set is at the dentist's, getting fixed."
"Maybe I can send for them."
"Hardly, since the dentist is at Ithaca. Oh, what a wretch, to take my teeth! I cannot go to the classroom without my teeth. I would be the laughing-stock of the entire school! It is a dreadful state of affairs!"
"I don't see how I can help you out, sir," answered George Strong, sympathetically.
"I shall have to stay here until something is done. See if you can't find the cadet who took the teeth."
"I will do what I can," answered George Strong, and left the room.
Josiah Crabtree was walking up and down nervously, when there came a timid knock on the door. He opened it to confront Mumps.
"Well, Fenwick, what do you want?" demandedthe teacher, harshly. The sneak of the school generally had some tale of woe to tell, and he was just now in no humor to listen to any such recital.
"Please, Mr. Crabtree, did you lose anything?" asked Mumps, nervously.
"Ha! what is that? Come in! What do you know?" cried Josiah Crabtree, and caught Mumps by the arm.
"I didn't do it—really and truly I didn't!" cried the sneak, in sudden terror. "I—I only found it out by accident."
"About my—er—my teeth?"
"Yes, sir."
"What do you know about them, Fenwick? Quick; out with it!"
"Oh, sir, please don't hurt my arm so!"
"Tell me what you know."
"I—I know where your teeth are, sir, I—I saw them put there last night."
"Where are they?"
"Hanging on the chandelier in Classroom Eight."
"And who put them there?" roared the teacher, in amazement.
"Pepper Ditmore, sir. But, oh, sir, please don't say I told on him or he'll hammer the life out of me!" cried Mumps, in alarm.
"How did he get them?"
"I don't know that, sir. I—I went downstairs to—er—to put away a book for another cadet and I saw Pepper Ditmore sneak into Room Eight. I watched him, and he threw a string with the teeth on 'em up over the chandelier. I thought they might be yours, so I came here to find out."
"Did you get the—er—the teeth?"
"Oh, no, sir. They are too high up. You'll have to get a ladder to get them down."
"The rascal!" howled Josiah Crabtree. "Oh, wait till I get my hands on him! But I must get the teeth first." He thought for a moment. "Fenwick, find Snuggers and send him to me at once."
"Yes, sir."
"And don't say a word of this to any one," added the teacher, as the sneak hurried off.
It took Mumps fully five minutes to locate Peleg Snuggers. Wondering what was wanted, the general utility man hurried to the teacher's apartment.
"I want you to get my set of teeth," said Josiah Crabtree. "I am told they are fastened to the chandelier in Room Eight. Get a ladder and get them down immediately. And do it as quietly as you can."
"Yes, sir," answered Snuggers, and left to do the errand. "Teeth on the chandelier!" he murmured, "Wot an idee! Bet some o' the cadetsdid thet trick! How funny he did look without his grinders in!"
Pepper had not told any one about his trick, but on a blackboard in the hall he had chalked the words:
Set of Teeth For Sale!See Chandelier in Room No. 8.Crabtree, A.M., O.I.C.
This scrawl had attracted the attention of fully a score of cadets, and one after another they entered the classroom designated to find out what it meant. When they saw the teeth dangling in the air they set up a roar.
"Hello, look at the set of teeth!"
"They must belong to old Crabtree!"
"Wonder what he wants for them?"
"I reckon teeth come high, by the look of things!"
The crowd of cadets kept growing larger, until the room was crowded. Then one cadet took a blackboard eraser and threw it at the teeth. This was a signal for a general discharge of all sorts of things at the dangling object.
THIS WAS A SIGNAL FOR THE DISCHARGE OF ALL SORTS OF THINGS AT THE DANGLING OBJECT.THIS WAS A SIGNAL FOR THE DISCHARGE OF ALL SORTS OF THINGS AT THE DANGLING OBJECT.
The Mystery of Putnam Hall.(Page 192)
In the midst of the excitement George Strong came in.
"Boys! boys! Be quiet!" cried the teacher."What is the meaning of so much noise?" And then he, too, caught sight of the dangling teeth. "Who placed those there?" he asked.
There was no reply, and he was on the point of sending a cadet for a step-ladder when the door opened and in came Peleg Snuggers with the very thing wanted.
"Mr. Crabtree sent me to git 'em," explained the general utility man.
"Hurrah! Peleg to the rescue!" cried Andy.
"Now, Peleg, do the great balancing act," said Fred Century.
"I will hold the ladder for you, Snuggers," said Mr. Strong. "Boys, stand back," he added, afraid that some of the lads might attempt some joke while the general utility man was in the air.
The step-ladder was placed in position and Snuggers mounted cautiously to the top. He could just reach the chandelier and the teeth, and it took him some time to cut the teeth loose.
"I'll take 'em right to Mr. Crabtree," he said on coming down. "He's in a mighty big hurry for 'em."
"Very well," returned George Strong.
Pepper was watching matters closely and he at once guessed that somebody had told Josiah Crabtree where the teeth were.
"It must have been the fellow who spotted melast night," reasoned The Imp. "Wonder if he told my name? If he did——" Pepper ended the question with a big sigh.
With great eagerness Josiah Crabtree received the set of teeth and examined them to see if they were all right. Then, having placed them where they belonged, he strode forth from his room in quest of the cadet who had played the trick.
Pepper was just sitting down at the breakfast table when there was a sudden step behind him and the next moment he found himself jerked out of his place.
"You come with me, young man!" stormed Josiah Crabtree. "I have an account to settle with you!"
"What do you want, Mr. Crabtree?" asked The Imp, as meekly as he could.
"You know well enough!" cried the teacher. "Come!" And he led Pepper out of the mess-hall. His grip on the youth's arm was so firm that it hurt not a little.
"Mr. Crabtree, you are hurting my arm."
"I don't care if I am!" snapped the teacher. "You come along!" And he fairly dragged Pepper along the hall.
"Where to?"
"You'll soon see."
"What is wrong?"
"You know well enough, Ditmore. You took my—er—my set of teeth! You have made me the laughing-stock of the whole school! You shall suffer for it!"
"Who says I took the teeth?"
"John Fenwick saw you place them on the chandelier! Oh, you need not deny it."
"Mumps! Well, he always was a sneak!" answered Pepper.
"He is a nice, manly youth."
With a firm grip still on Pepper's arm, the irate teacher led the way to a room looking out on the rear. It was an apartment less than ten feet square, and plainly furnished with two chairs and a couch. In one corner was a stand with a washbowl and pitcher of water. The single window was stoutly barred.
"Going to make a prisoner of me?" asked Pepper, as the door was opened and he was thrust into the room.
"You shall stay here for the present," snapped Josiah Crabtree. "When I let you out I think you'll be a sadder and perhaps a wiser boy."
"Am I to have my breakfast?"
"No," answered the teacher.
Then he banged the door shut, locked it, and walked swiftly away.
"Well, I suppose I ought not to complain," mused Pepper, as he sat down on one of the chairs. "A fellow can't have his fun without paying for it. But just wait till I catch Mumps! I'll give him a piece of my mind, and maybe more!"
He got up presently and looked out of the window. He could see but little excepting a stretch of snow. The cell-like room was almost without heat, and he had to clap his hands together, and stamp his feet, to keep warm.
"I think I'd give a dollar for some breakfast," he muttered. "Wonder if I could attract the attention of one of the servants and bribe him to get me something?"
As he walked around the little room his eyes caught some writing on the wall. There were several bits of doggerel, one running as follows:
"I am a prisoner of old Josiah,I'd feel much better if I had a fire!"
"I can sympathize with that fellow," murmured Pepper, as he slapped his hands across his chest, trying to get up more circulation. Then he walked around the room, reading another doggerel or two. Finally he drew out a lead pencil.
"Guess I'll play Shakespeare myself," he murmured, and after some thought,scribbleddown the following:
"And I am juggedAlone in solitude, and by myselfAlone. I sit and think, and think,And think again. Old Crabtree,Base villain that he is, hath put me here!And why? Ah, thereby hangs a tale, Horatio!His teeth, the teeth that chew the best of steakSet on our table—those I found and hid;And Mumps, the sneak, hath told on me! Alas!When will my martyrdom end?"
Having finished his attempt at blank verse, Pepper continued to walk around the room. He was hungry and cold, and inside of an hour grew somewhat desperate.
"Crabtree has no right to starve me and allow me to catch cold," he told himself. "I don't believe Captain Putnam will stand for it. I'm going to attract some attention."
He took up one of the chairs and with it commenced to pound on the door. He had been pounding for several minutes when he heard some one on the outside.
"Pepper!" came in a low voice.
"Oh, Jack, is that you?"
"Yes. Stop that noise, or I'll get caught."
"I want to get out. I haven't had any breakfast, and it is as cold as Greenland in here."
"If I had a key I'd let you out, but it isn't in the lock," went on the young major.
"Try some of the other keys, Jack."
"I will," was the reply, and the young major hurried off, to return with several keys from other doors. But not one of them fitted the lock before him.
"Too bad!" he murmured.
"Major Ruddy!" came in the harsh voice of Josiah Crabtree behind him. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to talk to Ditmore," answered Jack, boldly.
"Who gave you permission?"
"Nobody, I came as major of the battalion. When a cadet is placed in the guardhouse the major has a right to go and see him."
"Hum!" growled Josiah Crabtree. He took but little interest in the military side of the school andconsequently did not know all the rules. "Well, I can do the talking here. You are excused."
"Mr. Crabtree, Ditmore tells me that he is very cold, and he has had no breakfast."
"Ha! So he is complaining, eh? Well, I'll attend to him. You may go."
"Are you going to give him his breakfast?"
"Yes—when he deserves it—not before."
"How about keeping him in such a cold room?"
"That is my affair."
"If he gets sick will you take the blame?"
"Major Ruddy, I am not here to be questioned by you!" snapped the dictatorial teacher.
"Pepper belongs to my command and he is my personal friend. I don't think you have any right to starve him and keep him in a cold room in such weather as this. I shall complain to Captain Putnam as soon as he gets back, and, in the meantime, complain to Mr. Strong."
"I am in charge while Captain Putnam is away."
"Then, if Pepper takes cold from this, you'll be to blame, and you'll foot the doctor's bill," answered Jack, and walked away.
He spoke so sharply that Josiah Crabtree became worried, and, a little later, Pepper was served with a cup of black coffee and several slices of bread without butter. It was a meager meal, butit was better than nothing, and The Imp disposed of all there was of it. Then a servant appeared with a couple of blankets used by the cadets when in camp.
"You can wrap yourself in these if you are cold, so Mr. Crabtree says," said the servant. And he went out again, locking the door as before.
"Humph! Must take me for an Indian!" muttered Pepper. Nevertheless, he wrapped the blankets around him and then felt considerably warmer.
The morning passed slowly, and at noon Pepper was given a bowl of soup and several additional slices of unbuttered bread. The soup was hot and good, and he wished there was more of it.
"Mr. Crabtree says that is all you can have," said the waiter who served him.
"Crabbed Crabtree!" muttered Pepper, and said no more.
In the middle of the afternoon, directly after school was over, Josiah Crabtree appeared. This time he was accompanied by George Strong.
"Ditmore, we have come to have a talk with you!" cried Crabtree. "And let me say at the start that I want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, as they say in court."
"Are you going to try me for my life?" demanded The Imp.
"I am going to try you on a very serious charge," snapped Josiah Crabtree.
"Do not be too hasty, Mr. Crabtree," put in George Strong, mildly.
"Mr. Crabtree, if you want to know about the teeth, let me confess that I took them and hung them up where they were found," said Pepper.
"Ha! so you are willing to confess, eh?"
"I am. I did it for fun—but I suppose you don't see the fun," added Pepper, dryly, so dryly in fact that George Strong had to turn away to hide a sudden smile.
"It was a low, contemptible trick!" returned Josiah Crabtree. "But I must say I do not think it quite as bad as your other doings."
"My other doings?" asked The Imp, somewhat mystified.
"Mr. Crabtree, do not be hasty, I beg of you," put in the under teacher.
"Ditmore, how did you get the teeth?" demanded Josiah Crabtree.
"It was very easy, sir, if you must know. I went into the vacant bedroom next to your room, climbed from one window to the other, and the trick was done."
"Were you alone?"
"Yes, sir, absolutely alone."
"Have you been alone when visiting the otherrooms in this building?" demanded Josiah Crabtree, sharply.
"Mr. Crabtree——" began George Strong, but the head teacher motioned for the assistant to be silent.
"I—I don't understand," stammered Pepper.
"You have shown your expertness in visiting rooms during the night, and without awakening anybody," went on Josiah Crabtree, coldly. "Some time ago other rooms were visited in this building, and various things were taken—some things of great value—things which have not been returned. Now, Ditmore——"
"Mr. Crabtree, stop!" cried Pepper, and his eyes flashed with sudden fire. "I know what is in your mind now! But don't you dare to accuse me! Don't you dare!"
"I want you to tell me the truth."
"I have told you all I know. I took the teeth as a joke, and I put them where they could easily be found."
"And about the other things——" The head teacher paused suggestively.
"I know no more about the other things that have disappeared than you do. Do you think I'd rob myself and my best friends?"
"In a case of this kind a person might rob himself just to throw the public off the scent."
"Do you dare to accuse me of these mysterious thefts?" cried Pepper, hotly.
"I think——"
"Mr. Crabtree, I beg of you to be careful," cried George Strong. "Why not drop this whole matter until Captain Putnam returns? Because Ditmore played a joke on you does not say that he is a—a criminal."
"Thank you for that, Mr. Strong," said the cadet, warmly. "I know I had no right to play that joke—I have no right to play any of my jokes—but I only did it for fun. I think it is—is horrible for Mr. Crabtree to even think that I—that—that——" Pepper could not go on for his emotion choked him.
"Oh? you can't deceive me!" sneered Josiah Crabtree. "I am sure that——"
"Mr. Crabtree, I insist that you drop this matter until Captain Putnam returns," interrupted George Strong.
"You insist?" roared the irate instructor.
"I do, sir."
"Who is in authority here, you or I?"
"You are the head teacher, but I feel bound to protect Captain Putnam's interests during his absence. You have no right to accuse any cadet of a crime unless you have proof against him. Have you any proof against Ditmore?"
"You heard how he acknowledged taking the teeth."
"And he said it was a joke—and I believe it was that and nothing more. There is a wide difference between an innocent joke and a premeditated crime. Take my advice and say no more until you have consulted with Captain Putnam."
"Ha! you are against me—just as the cadets are against me!" stormed Josiah Crabtree. "I know I am right. But we can wait, since you insist." He turned towards Pepper. "I'll corner you yet, you young rascal!" he cried bitterly.
Andthetwo teachers passed out of the cell-like room, the door was again locked, and Pepper was left a prisoner as before.
When nightfall came and Pepper still remained a prisoner, both Jack and Andy commenced to worry about their chum.
"It's a shame to keep him in that cold room," said the young major.
"Wonder if we can get him out on the sly?" returned the acrobatic youth. "I'd be willing to run quite a risk to set him free, so he could sleep in his own bed to-night."
"Let us sneak down after dark and see what we can do," suggested Jack.
Of course the fact that Pepper was a prisoner was known throughout the whole school. Many who had laughed over the teeth affair thought it too bad that The Imp should be locked up in a cold room. But others, including Reff Ritter and Gus Coulter, said it served him right.
"He was too fresh," growled Coulter.
"Let him stay there a week; it will do him good," added Ritter.
"You leave things to old Crabtree," said Dan Baxter. "He knows how to put the screws on a cadet."
"Right you are," came from Ritter.
The one boy who had little to say was Mumps. The sneak was scared almost to death, feeling certain that Pepper would square up with him as soon as liberated. The others did not know how Mumps had acted, or Jack and Andy might have given the sneak a sound thrashing.
The young major and the acrobatic youth talked the affair over, and were joined in the discussion by Bert Field, Dave Kearney, and one or two others. They were on the point of going below, when Fred Century came in.
"Crabtree is certainly going to make sure of keeping Pepper a prisoner," said he.
"How do you know that?" asked Jack, quickly.
"He has placed a guard in front of the door, so nobody can open it."
"A guard?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"Two cadets—Crane and Barlow. They are to remain on guard three hours and then some others are to relieve them."
"Then we can't do a thing!" groaned Andy. "We might bribe Crane, but nobody could bribe Barlow. He's a sticker on everything he does."
Jack went below and found that the report about the guard was true. The cadets were on duty, and he was not allowed to even speak to Pepper.
"It's too bad," he said, on returning to the dormitory. "I guess poor Pepper will have to remain where he is."
"We might protest to Mr. Strong?" suggested Bart Conners.
"It wouldn't do any good. Crabtree is in charge during Captain Putnam's absence."
One after another the cadets went to bed. Jack was the last to retire, and it was a long while before he dropped off to sleep. Then he dreamed about Pepper up in the far North, sitting on a cake of ice in a bathing-suit, which showed how much he had the welfare of his chum at heart.
In the morning Josiah Crabtree went below early. He expected Captain Putnam back by noon and wished to be prepared to make a proper report to the head of the school on his arrival.
He had just seated himself at the desk in the office when there came a knock on the door.
"Come in!" he said shortly, thinking it might be a servant. The newcomer was Bart Conners.
"Well, Conners, what is it?" demanded the head teacher.
"I want to report that I was robbed last night," answered the captain of Company B.
"Robbed!" ejaculated Josiah Crabtree. "Did you say robbed?"
"Yes, sir."
"What of? Where? When?" Josiah Crabtree's manner showed his tremendous excitement.
"Of a diamond stickpin. I left it in one of my scarfs last night and this morning it was gone. I've looked all over, but I can't find it."
"How late was it when you retired?"
"About ten o'clock."
"And when did you get up?"
"At the first bell."
"And you noticed it was gone at once?"
"Yes, for I wanted to lock it away in my bureau, as Captain Putnam warned us to do when the others' things were stolen."
"This is strange. Do you suspect anybody?"
At this question Bart Conners shook his head.
"Very well, I will look into the matter immediately after breakfast."
Scarcely had Josiah Crabtree spoken when Dan Baxter appeared at the door.
"I want to tell you something!" he said sourly. "I want somebody locked up."
"Locked up?" queried the startled teacher. "What is wrong?" And as he asked the question Bart Conners looked on with interest.
"I'll tell you!" burst out Dan Baxter. "Last night I went to bed with eleven dollars in my vest-pocket. This morning every cent of the money is gone! I want it back! If I don't get it back Captain Putnam has got to stand the loss, for I won't." And the bully looked more sour than ever.
"You robbed, too!" cried Josiah Crabtree, faintly. "Will it ever stop? What is the school coming to?"
"Have you any idea who took the money, Dan?" asked Bart Conners.
"No. I was dead tired and slept like a dog. But I know I had the eleven dollars when I went to bed, and now it's gone."
"So is my diamond stickpin," and the captain of Company B gave the particulars.
"Humph!" muttered the bully. "I heard of those other robberies, but I didn't think I'd get touched as quick as this. If it keeps on the whole school will be cleaned out."
"Yes, and Captain Putnam will be ruined," added Bart, gravely.
"I will see you two cadets later," said Josiah Crabtree, and shut the office desk with a bang.He hurried away, leaving Bart and Dan Baxter to console themselves as best they could.
Josiah Crabtree was thinking of Pepper. He had accused The Imp only the day before of these crimes, and here the thefts were continuing while Pepper was a close prisoner.
"Perhaps he got out during the night," he muttered. "I must make sure of it." For, to be fair to the dictatorial teacher, he really thought Pepper might be the guilty party.
He questioned the cadets who had been on guard during the night. One and all declared that Pepper had remained a prisoner all night and was still in the cell-like room. Then he spoke to The Imp himself.
"Did you go out last night?" he asked.
"How could I?" asked Pepper.
"Answer my question, Ditmore."
"No, I didn't go out. I have been here ever since you brought me in yesterday."
Teacher and cadet looked sharply at each other, and there was a silence that could be felt. From one of the guards Pepper had learned how Bart and Dan Baxter had been robbed.
"You know I didn't go out," went on Pepper. "You know that I am not guilty of the crimes that have been committed in this school. As soonas Captain Putnam returns I want to see him, so he can hear my side of the story."
At these words Josiah Crabtree winced. He felt that Captain Putnam might not agree with him concerning the treatment given to Pepper, and that Pepper might get him into "hot water." Even George Strong had intimated this.
"Ditmore," he said, slowly and mildly, "I—er—I feel that perhaps I have been a bit harsh with you. Your trick upset me very much; such a trick would upset anybody. If I—er—accused you falsely I am sorry for it. Supposing I let you go, and supposing we drop the whole matter?"
"I am willing to drop the matter, providing you will retract what you said about my being connected with these—er—these other things," answered Pepper, slowly.
"Well, I—I must have been mistaken. I didn't say you were guilty. I only said it looked suspicious—the way you prowled around, and the way you got into my room. But if you are willing we'll drop the entire matter, and you can go to your room and get ready for breakfast."
Pepper thought rapidly. He was angry over being accused of the crimes, yet he knew he had gone too far in his joke at Josiah Crabtree's expense.
"All right, sir; we'll drop the matter, Mr. Crabtree," he said. "Good-morning," and a moment later he quitted his prison and was on his way to his dormitory.
The cadets had much to talk about that day—the sudden liberation of Pepper, and the losses Bart Conners and Dan Baxter had suffered. At noon Captain Putnam came back, and he had the captain of Company B and Dan Baxter in his office for the best part of an hour. But nothing came of the conference, excepting that the owner of the Hall said he would pay all losses and gave Baxter his eleven dollars on the spot. Then he had a long conference with the new man of all work, who was really a detective in disguise. But that individual was as much in the dark as anybody. He had seen nobody prowling around during the night.
"We must get at the bottom of this affair," said Captain Putnam to George Strong. "If we do not, the school will surely be ruined." He was told about the affair of the teeth, but paid little attention, knowing that Josiah Crabtree could be left to manage his own differences with the students.
Pepper had dropped the matter so far as it concerned Josiah Crabtree, but he did not drop it so far as it concerned Mumps. He watched the sneak that day and the next, and managed at last to catch Mumps at the boathouse.
"Now, I am going to give you the thrashing you deserve!" cried The Imp, and caught the sneak by the collar.
"Lemme go!" shrieked Mumps. "Lemme go, or I'll tell Captain Putnam on you!"
"No, you won't!" answered Pepper. "If you do, I'll promise you another licking at the first chance I get!"
And then and there he boxed the sneak's ears and then threw him down in the snow, washing his face and shoving a lot of the snow down inside the lad's shirt. Mumps yelled like a wild Indian, but Pepper did not let up until he felt that he had given the sneak all he deserved.
"You say a word and I'll give you a double dose the next time!" warned Pepper. And this so scared Mumps he never once opened his mouth about the affair.
"Election of officers to-morrow!"
"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. Letme say that I am not a candidate, and will not accept the office even if elected. I expect to leave this institution 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 canvassing 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," announcedGeorge 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."
"Nobody 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."
They hurried around and interviewed Blossom and Kearney, and about twenty other cadets. As a consequence, the pair named said they would withdraw in favor of Bart Conners if supported for the captaincies later. In the meantime Henry Lee said he would drop out also, since he expected to leave school in June.
Once again the ballots were cast, and now it was easy to see that Bart, Ritter and Baxter were exceedingly anxious. Both Ritter and Baxter did their best to gain the votes dropped by Henry Lee and Paul Singleton.
"I will read the result," said Captain Putnam, a few minutes later. And amid a breathless silence, he read the following: