ound at Pledge, where he sat with a sneer on his face, and
did not like the looks of him. The sneer they would have thought
nothing of, but there was a serious, half-determined look about him
which was ominous.

"The beast!" whispered Dick. "He's going to do something."

"Ugh!" said Georgie, "to think I ever liked him!"

"Now," said Freckleton, when the voting was over, "to insure the
counting being fairly done, I propose that three fellows who have not
had the good luck to be on the list be asked to count. I dare say they
won't grudge the trouble, and it will be satisfactory to everybody to
know they see fair play for the rest." (Hear, hear.) "Will any three
fellows volunteer?"

Five stood up.

"Will you five choose three among you?" said Freckleton.

This was soon done, and the scrutineers were in a few moments buried in
their work, watched eagerly by many anxious eyes.

It took a good while, but to our heroes, as they sat and watched
Pledge's ugly look, the end seemed to come all too soon.

There was a loud hum of excitement when the list, as finally made out,
was handed solemnly to Freckleton.

"I think, if you don't mind," said the Hermit, passing it back, "as I am
an interested party, it would be better if one of you read it."

"All right," said the obliging scrutineer. "Gentlemen,--Unaccustomed as
I am to public speaking, I beg to read you the list of the Sociables'
Club. I don't see my own name on the list, but perhaps you'll consider
the fag we three have been put to this afternoon is a public service for
the good of Templeton. If so, please remember the poor scrutineers at
the next election." (Cheers and laughter.) "Now for the list."

"Better only read the names of the elected ones in each form, and not
the number of votes," suggested Freckleton.

"Lucky Freckleton said so," remarked the scrutineer, "or I should have
told you that his name is at the top of the poll by a very long start."
(Tremendous cheers.) "But, as I'm not to let out figures, all I can say
is, he's in. And so are Crossfield, Cartwright, Swinstead, Frith, and
Mansfield for the Sixth-Form."

It was curious to notice the effect of this announcement on the meeting
generally and on the boys specially concerned. As name followed name
without that of the Captain, fellows looked round at one another in
something like consternation. After all, the Captain of Templeton _was_
the Captain of Templeton, and those who had not vo