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 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," 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."

"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