"
"Eighty-seven, including myself," announced the youthful major,
after he had gone down the line and back with care.
"Are any cadets absent?"
"No, sir."
"Very well then, we will proceed to vote by having each cadet come
up and cast a slip of paper with his favorite's name on it in the
box. The line will march in single file, one pace from man to
man. Forward!"
The captain stood by the ballot box, and up came the file, Major
Conners first and Captain Blossom following. In a few minutes all
of the eighty-seven ballots were in the box, and then began the
sorting out.
"I will now read the result of the first ballot," announced
Captain Putnam, holding up a paper with the figures, and amid a
dead silence he began:
Whole number of votes cast 87
Necessary to a choice 44
Fred Garrison has 32
Richard Rover has 8
George Granbury has 15
John Fenwick has 12
"Consequently, nobody is elected. Another vote will be taken
immediately after dinner," and then the companies were re-formed
and marched into the mess hall.
"Fred Garrison is ahead!" came in a whisper from every side.
"Good for you, Fred!"
"Mumps only got a dozen votes," came from one of the little boys.
Pages:
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196