THE ELECTION
As captain of the First, or School team, Sandow was in charge of all
the sports for the lower Forms, so that his command to repair to the
basement, to elect the leader of the Seconds' football eleven, was
obeyed.
Swept along by the rush of his classmates, Fred was unable to escape
from them, until he reached the door leading to the gymnasium. But he
quickly took advantage of the opportunity, and in the semi-darkness,
which enveloped the stairs, his absence was not noted.
Scarcely had he started back, however, than he came face to face with
Alice Montgomery.
At the unexpected meeting, the girl flushed, then dropped her head with
the evident intention of passing without speaking.
But Fred did not propose to let her.
"I say, Al--Miss Montgomery, it was mighty good of you to enroll for
the Scholarship," he exclaimed impulsively. "If you hadn't come in, I
don't believe the others would--and the award would have been passed
for this year."
"Then your winning it means a great deal?" queried the girl, deciding
from the earnestness with which Fred spoke, that he probably had
entered more for the money involved, than for the honor.
"Indeed, it does, Miss Montgomery."
"I'm so glad--I mean I'm glad my entering gives you a chance to win the
Scholarship," she corrected hastily. "And--Fred--I wish you'd keep on
calling me Alice. 'Miss Montgomery' is my name to those I don't like."
And with this glimpse of her attitude upon the rivalry existing between
her brother and Fred, the girl hastened on her way to the classroom.
For a moment, Fred gazed after her in speechless amazement.
"Well, of all things!" he murmured to himself, when at last he had
recovered from his surprise. "It's lucky Bart wasn't round. He's brute
enough to be mean to his own sister."
Further consideration of Alice's words was prevented by the noisy
appearance of several boys from the basement.
"Hey, you Cotton-Top, what are you lallygagging up here for?" demanded
Soda, as he caught sight of Fred. "Get a move on and come down. We need
your vote."
Thus besought, the left half-back opened his mouth to speak, but the
others would not let him, seizing him and carrying him downstairs by
main force.
When Sandow had called the Seconds to order, he briefly asked for
nominations for captain.
Promptly, Taffy proposed Bart's name, while Soda performed the same
office for Fred.
No other names being suggested, the leader of the Firsts called for a
vote.
"Let's not have ballots--let's just state our preference, when our name
is called," suggested Lefty.
This proposition evoked a storm of protest, and, as time was pressing,
Sandow ordered ballots to be used.
"Just write the name of your preference on a piece of paper and bring
it to me," he directed.
Quickly the boys obeyed, and when all had cast their votes, the captain
of the school team counted them.
"The vote's a tie," he announced. "Seven for Bart and seven for Fred."
"Move we leave it to Sandow to choose the captain," exclaimed Buttons.
But action of this motion was prevented by Soda.
"There are fifteen who can vote, counting Clothespin," he shouted,
"and only fourteen votes have been cast. Who's missing?"
Attention thus directed to the fact that all the boys were not present,
they quickly counted noses, and Fred's absence was learned.
"Grand-stand play--to keep away when he knows his name will be voted
on," sneered Taffy.
"Probably thought he couldn't keep from voting for himself, unless he
stayed away," added Bart.
"Bet you voted for yourself," retorted Shorty.
But Sandow checked the controversy in its bud.
"Order!" he commanded. "Some of you go find Cotton-Top, and bring him
here."
It was in response to these instructions, that the boys dragged Fred,
so unceremoniously, down the stairs.
His arrival was greeted with shouts of delight from his followers, and
of derision from Bart's.
"What do you want of me?" inquired the boy, ignoring the greetings and
comments that were hurled at him.
"Why did you not come to the meeting when you knew it was the most
important of this semester, being for the purpose of electing the
captain of the Second football team?" demanded Sandow, assuming all
the dignity his position, as leader of the First Form, gave him. For,
though he was one of Fred's intimates, such was his conception of his
duty to Baxter, that he never allowed his friendships to interfere with
the good of the school.
"As my entrance for the Scholarship told you all, I have decided to
give up football for this year," began the boy.
"You mustn't desert the team!" "Traitor!" "How much is Landon paying
you?" were some of the cries that greeted this announcement.
Flushing at the charges, Fred squared his shoulders.
"Give me a chance to finish, will you?" he exclaimed hotly.
"Order!" demanded Sandow. "If any one else interrupts, he'll lose his
vote!"
This drastic ruling had the effect of silencing the boys, and Fred
resumed.
"When I found I could not play on the team, I--well, I decided I didn't
want to be present," he explained.
"But why can't you play and try for the scholarship, too?" demanded
Lefty.
"Because I'm not clever enough in science."
"Then give up science. You'll fall down on the scholarship, anyhow. But
if you stick to the team, we'll win from Landon, sure," declared Taffy.
"I may not obtain the scholarship--but I must try for it," returned
Fred quietly.
"Must need the money pretty bad," sneered Bart.
"Montgomery, for that nasty and uncalled-for remark, you lose your
vote," cried Sandow.
This decision threw the boys into an uproar, so great that it was heard
above stairs and members of the First and Lower Forms descended to
learn its cause.
Paying no attention to it, however, Sandow prepared more ballots, then
called upon the Seconds to vote again.
Before they could do so, however, Fred obtained permission to speak.
"As I shall not play this year, my name, of course, cannot be voted
upon. Inasmuch as the first ballot resulted in a tie, between Bart and
myself, I ask those who voted for me to support Bart."
[Illustration: "I ASK THOSE WHO VOTED FOR ME TO SUPPORT BART"]
"Good boy!" "That's the talk!" interrupted several.
"I, therefore, move that Bart Montgomery be elected captain of the
Baxter Second football team by acclamation," concluded Fred.
Although the boy's chums realized such sportsmanlike action was in
keeping with his character, its unexpectedness took their breath away,
and they stared at one another in silence, while Bart's adherents dared
not say anything, lest they prejudice their favorite's chances to
obtain the coveted honor without a contest.
"Any one second the motion?" asked Sandow, when several moments had
elapsed without such action.
But no one spoke.
"Second it, Buttons," exclaimed Fred, in a whisper, audible to all.
"Yes--I will--not," growled the boy.
"Do I hear any one second the motion?" asked Sandow again. "If not, we
will proceed to ballot."
The words drew the eyes of the boys to the speaker, and under cover
of their distraction, Fred made his way to Bronson, to whom he spoke
vehemently, with the result that just as the leader of the Firsts
started to hand out the ballots, a voice cried:
"I second the motion!"
Instantly the boys turned to see who had spoken, but they were too late.
"The motion is made and seconded that Bart Montgomery be elected
captain of the Second Baxter football team by acclamation," announced
Sandow. "All in favor say 'Aye.' Contrary, 'No.' The 'Ayes' have it."
"Snap judgment! Move a roll call!" protested Shorty Simms.
The leader of the Firsts, however, ignored the comment.
"In consequence of this vote," he continued, "I declare Bart Montgomery
elected to the captaincy. All members and candidates for the Second
be on the campus at three, this afternoon, for practice. Meeting's
adjourned."
Their favorite elected, Bart's followers crowded about Fred, slapping
him on the back, and telling him he was a good fellow, their anger at
his decision not to play forgotten in their triumph.
On the other hand, Fred's chums held aloof from him.
"I'd like to know who seconded that motion," snarled Buttons.
"And I," chorused Shorty. "We'd make him go some, eh?"
Fortunately for Bronson's piece of mind, he was out of earshot of these
threatening words, or he might have betrayed himself.
By this time, all the boys had gone upstairs, leaving Sandow, Hal
Church and Fred alone.
Going to the boy, the leader of the Firsts put his arm around Fred's
shoulder.
"Won't you really try for the team?" he asked. "The Second will never
have a good show against Landon."
"You know I'd like to, Sandow, but I can't," replied Fred, a catch in
his voice.
"You know the game, so you won't need much practice," urged Hal.
"More than I can give, though. I'll need every spare minute for
science."
"But what's the honor--" began Hal, when Fred interrupted him.
"It isn't the _honor_--it's the money," he said. "I want you fellows
to understand, so I'll tell you: father wrote me to try for the two
hundred because mother needs it. I'm not any too good at science, so
you see I've got to study like the old Harry. I don't want her or
father to think I am letting fun interfere with helping them."
As the two older boys listened to this manly statement, they understood
as never before the strength of Fred's character.
A moment or two they stood in silence, then each seized a hand
impulsively.
"I hope you'll win," said Sandow, and Hal echoed the sentiment.