s?" 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