hrough
a cord of wood, when there's a hole big enough."

"I mentioned this thing to you in confidence."

"You didn't say a word about confidence; and I didn't promise to keep
still. I won't keep still. I think it is a mean trick to buy up the
votes of the fellows, and I'll blow the whole thing higher than a kite."

"You'll catch it if you do," said Wilton, in a threatening tone.

"Catch what?" demanded Kendall, with a very pretty exhibition of
dignity.

"Bob Shuffles will give it to you."

"Give what to me?"

"Give you the biggest licking you ever had in your life," answered
Wilton, angrily, "You are so stupid, you can't understand anything."

"I think I can understand the licking, when if comes. That's a game that
two can play at."

"What do you mean, you little bantam? Do you think you can whip Bob
Shuffles?"

"I had no idea of whipping him; and I have no idea of his whipping me,
either."

Kendall was spunky. Wilton could make nothing of him by threats or
persuasion; and he turned away from him to seek a more promising field
of labor. Kendall took off his cap, scratched his head as he reflected
upon the event which had just transpired, and made up his mind that it
was an insult to an independent elector to attempt to buy his vote with
the paltry consideration of an office. He was sorry that he had been
even tempted by the proposition of the wire-pullers, and thankful that
his sense of honor and decency had prompted him to decline it when asked
to vote for an improper person. True to his promise, he made all haste
to expose the conspiracy, as he regarded it, against Carnes.

When the students turned in that night, the wire-pullers had found a
sufficient number of candidates for all the offices on the terms set
forth in the compact, each of whom had promised to use his influence for
the entire ticket. Shuffles had made a very pretty calculation, to the
effect that each of the fifteen candidates could influence at least two
votes besides his own for the ticket, which would inevitably elect it.
But during all this time Paul Kendall had been laboring like a Trojan
for Carnes, and had induced his friends to do the same.

At nine-o'clock in the morning, the polls were opened for the election
of officers. A box was placed on the fife-rail, at the mainmast, in
which the ballots were deposited, under the inspection of Professor
Mapps.

"Have all the students voted?" called the professor, when the voting
was s