it. Verbally, that is. It
was he who had been pounding Cannon on the back, and now he was pounding
Matthew Fisher almost as hard.

Matt Fisher finally managed to grab his hand, and he started pumping it.
"What about you, Harry? I'm only a poor, simple Vice President. You got
re-elected governor!"

Dr. Frank Cannon, looking like an older, balder edition of his brother,
was smiling, too, but there was a troubled look in his eyes even as he
congratulated the senator. Congressman Matson, passing out the drinks,
handed the first one to the senator.

"Have a drink, Mr. President! You're going to have to make a speech
pretty soon; you'll need a bracer!" He handed the second one to the
physician. "Here you go, Doc! Congratulations! It isn't everyone who's
got a President in the family!" Then his perceptive brain noticed
something in the doctor's expression. "Hey," he said, more softly,
"what's the trouble? You look as though you expected sickness in the
family."

The doctor grinned quickly. "Not unless it's my own. I'm used to
worrying about a patient's health, not a Presidential election. I'm
afraid my stomach's a little queasy. Wait just a second; I've got some
pills in my little black bag. Got pills in there for all ailments. Find
out if anyone else needs resuscitation, will you?" Drink in hand, he
went toward the closet, where his little black bag was stashed.

"Excitement," said Senator Cannon. "Frank isn't used to politics."

Matson chuckled. "Do him good to see how the other half lives." He
walked off, bearing drinks for the others. Governor Spanding grabbed one
and came over to the senator. "Jim! Ready to tear up your capitulation
speech now?"

Cannon glanced at his watch. "Almost. The polls closed in Nome just ten
minutes ago. We'll wait for the President's acknowledgment of defeat
before we go downstairs." He glanced at his brother, who was washing
something down with water.

Behind him, he heard Matson's voice saying: "I'm sure glad Horvin isn't
here! I can hear him now: 'Image! Image! That's what won the election!
Image!'" Matson guffawed. "Jim Cannon was winning elections by
landslides before he ever heard of Horvin! Jim Cannon projects his own
image."

"Sure he does," Matt Fisher said, "but what about me?"

"You? Hah! You're tops, Matt. Once a man gets to know you, he can see
that, if he's got any brains."

Fisher chuckled gently. "Ed, you've got what it takes to be a
politician, all right."

"So